What is the greatest Christmas gift we can give?
Is it not “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34) Jesus’ ministry is a perfect example before us – continually reaching out to the spiritual and physical needs with his 100% focused-loving service to help the world know Him and Our Father Heaven.
This year the people in the United States are expected to spend $123 billion on Christmas presents; this is like one percent of the national debt, and many will go into debt in doing so. We know there will be a lot of charitable giving and helping the poor and unfortunate, but most of that spending will be otherwise and worshiping the works of men’s hands.
As we celebrate the Savior’s birth, the greatest gift we can give Him is souls – to help them come to know the Father and the Son (John 17:3): “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8) It is not about things.
My wife and I are in three choirs this month to help in singing praises to our Lord and Savior for His infinite atonement and to our ever loving Heavenly Father. At eighty-two, we are not the best singers, but we love to be part of the spirit of beautiful music that lifts our souls closer to heaven.
Some time back I had an epiphany regarding Handel’s Messiah, which oratorio is the most sung piece of music in history, and doing more good in drawing souls closer to heaven than any other.
It is fascinating that Handel used the proceeds when his Messiah was first sung in Dublin to free 152 from debtor’s prison, and later he used the proceeds when the Messiah was sung in London for an unwed mother’s place to give their babies a life. This is beautifully documented in a recent presentation by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square:
It is my hope and prayer that this season and next year will bring you closer to the Lord, and that we can all join together in loving one another as He loves us. Living this commandment, and the first great commandment to love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds, and with all our strength, (Mark 12:30-31) would solve all the world’s problems and bring about the ideal society (a Zion society of the pure in heart of one mind and living the law of love).
This may sound idealistic, but the beautiful dimension is that it will happen and we can be part of it, if we will make Jesus the Christ the center of our lives. The scriptures are clear. The end of worldliness will come. The Lord will gather His people even as a hen gathers her chicks, even as many as call upon His name, hearken to His voice, humble themselves before Him, and call on Him in mighty prayer. There will be “peace on earth, good will to men” as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow powerfully penned in the time of his great grief. Jerusalem will become the City of Peace, as the Lord profoundly named it. And as the founding fathers and mothers of this nation (America) for saw the new Jerusalem will come down from heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (the Bridegroom, Jesus the Christ). (Revelations 21:2) If we chose, we can be part of the Bride to meet Him.
How exciting this will all be. That is why the gospel is not only the “good news;” it is the BEST NEWS! Have a wonderful Christmas, and by the way, we know that Jesus was not born on the 25th of December.
David W. Allan