Enjoying Christmas

I typed the first sentence of my Christmas column into the computer, Several aspects of Christmas perplex me. A soft blue light suffused the room, the clock stopped at 2:00 a.m., and a sharp knock sounded on the sliding glass door overlooking Gumlog Creek.

Troubling Doctrines

“What can I do for you, Sir?” I asked the visitor when he stepped into the room.

He answered, “It’s more what I can do for you.”

The visitor obviously possessed great power, although he did not seem immediately threatening. 

“Speak, Lord, your servant listens.”

“At least you got the words right.” The visitor looked at my computer screen. “Exactly what troubles you about Christmas?”

“The doctrine of the Virgin Birth.”

The visitor said, “I suppose you want to make the point that a theological doctrine and reality may not necessarily be the same thing?”

“That’s one thing I could write.”

“That subject,” the visitor chuckled, “doesn’t seem like a good topic for a column.”

“You’re probably right,” I conceded.

“So, what else bothers you?”

I replied, “I don’t understand why Jesus Christ had to live and die sacrificially for the forgiveness of our sins. After all, you forgave sins before Christ came to earth, and the Psalmist had already stated: The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart."

The visitor shrugged his shoulders. “OK, so you question the sacrificial model for salvation, which is more properly a subject for an Easter column, with the understanding that not many of your readers will be interested.”

Creative Enjoyment

“All right,” I said, “if you’re all-powerful and all-knowing, why wasn’t a one-time act of creation sufficient, including a mechanism for forgiveness of sins? It seems to me that you have to keep tinkering with what should have been a perfect creation.”

The visitor’s face became stern. “The formal terms, omnipotent and omniscient, apply more appropriately to my nature.”

A lightning bolt had not yet hit me, and I asked, “How can you be both omnipotent and omniscient, considering the evidence of reality?”

A great sigh came from the visitor. “Although one or two of your readers at most really care about that theological discussion, I will give you a hint. How long have you been writing these columns?”

“Since January of 1999,” I answered.

“Have you ever produced a first draft that you thought was good, even excellent on rare occasions?”

“Yes,” I stated.

“How many first drafts have you sent to the Madame Editor?”

“None,” I acknowledged.

“Why?”

“I thought my revisions would improve the drafts.”

The visitor smiled. “What gave you more enjoyment, writing the drafts or performing the revisions?”

“Both, in different ways.”

“Then,” the visitor asked, “using your own experience and keeping in mind that I made you humans in my own image with free will, have you ever thought that I enjoyed my first acts of creation and that I also enjoy my continuing acts of creation?”

“I hadn’t thought of that possibility,” I said.

The Command

“Now, I will ask questions and you will give answers, which must come from your heart, as well as from your mind.”

I said again, “Speak, Lord.”

“What have you really enjoyed about Christmas this year?”

“The Lions Club Christmas dinner.”

The visitor laughed, “Even though the seating was crowded and the food was not up to its usual high standards?”

“I enjoyed being with my brothers and sisters.”

The visitor nodded. “What else have you enjoyed?”

“Like I wrote in my last column, I thoroughly enjoyed the festivities as Lavonia celebrated Christmas.”

“What else?” the visitor persisted.

“I enjoyed decorating our memory tree with Andrea.”

“And?”

I continued, “I enjoyed the music of Christmas on WMMU and at our church - especially the Kidz4Christ program and the chancel choir’s Christmas cantata.”

“And?”

“I enjoyed being with our family.”

The visitor’s eyes flashed. “Cast your mind back to when you grew up in the Presbyterian Church, the time when you memorized and recited the Shorter Catechism.”

“I’m thinking.”

“Give me the answer to the first question: What is the chief end, that is, the primary purpose, of humans?”

I answered, “To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”

The visitor demanded, “Concentrate on glorifying me and enjoying Christmas by celebrating the great gift of my Son. Don’t concern yourself with questions you cannot answer at this time.” The visitor left.

Merry Christmas

Following through on the command, I wish all who read this column a Merry Christmas in which we enjoy God, the Christ Child, and the fellowship of believers, family and friends. Glory be to God.