The picture I have in my memory of every Christmas Eve is a candlelight service at church.  It has been especially meaningful for me as a pastor, because I was able to tell the story, the most beautiful story of LOVE ever!  On this holy night there were multiple services beginning early with a children’s service and ending with a midnight worship.  They were all special and I truly loved being there all night long! It was the place to be for me and every single time was meaningful.  I can’t wait to experience it again on this holy night!

There are a couple of memories I want to share with you…

 

This Christmas Eve took place at Montgomery UMC and my granddaughter Molly was  22 months old.  The setting for the stable and manger were set up for the live nativity inside the sanctuary.  She had arrived early and found her way into the Christmas scene, the Christmas story, and in her mind and heart she became Mary.  The baby was a doll, but alive for her.

She picked up baby Jesus, held him in her arms, and treasured him.  He was REAL to her.  He was HER baby!

Another year at St. Timothy UMC I did a drama with a young boy named Nicholas.  I was Mary and he was Jesus as a boy when his parents lost him in the temple and had been searching for him.  We were in costume, and we sat down on the steps of the front of the sanctuary. He said, “Mom, tell me again about the night I was born.”  As I recalled different parts of the story, the children entered as angels, shepherds, and wise men to take their place in the nativity. Then, I held a real baby in swaddling clothes close in my arms, unwrapping to show Nicholas his tiny feet and hands and let him touch.  I explained to Nicholas that he was God’s child, sent to be the Savior of the world.  Then at that moment, I looked into Nicholas’ face and his eyes were filled with tears.  Although we were role playing the Christmas story, I realized it had suddenly become real for him!  By the power of God’s holy touch on that holy night, the baby Jesus came into the life of that young boy.  Baby Jesus was REAL to him.  He was HIS baby.  When I witnessed that moment, it was also REAL for me.  God was present and I was holding Him, and He was holding me!  This truly was Immanuel, God with us!

Every Christmas Eve for many years I held a real baby.  There were multiple services each year so this means there were over 25 babies who became baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Some would say that would be too risky.  Anything could have happened in that situation in front of the entire congregation.  But that never stopped me from stepping out in faith because I wanted that moment to be real for everyone.  “God came into the world as a tiny baby born this night.  And this child is born for YOU!”  This baby is yours.

And every Christmas Eve over all these years, every single baby received that holy moment as if they knew. There was a beautiful stillness, a peace within them, and they were captured.  Indeed, we were all captured by God.  We all knew.  Then we lit our candles, held them up to glow in the dark…”Silent night, Holy night,  Son of God, love’s pure light…”

Questions to ponder…

How will you prepare your heart to receive the Christ Child on this holy night?

This baby is born for YOU.

nk