Christmas Time - What Is Missing?

Lets see, I have my tree up and decorated. Shopping if finished and the presents are wrapped. Cards have been sent. Received cards are hung by the fireplace. The Christmas goose and ham are being thawed. And the list for those to be visited is hanging by the door. But something seems to be missing. Whatever could it be. Turning I check my to do list and every thing is marked off with care. Yet, I feel like I have forgotten something.

Thinking and thinking, I sigh. I will be going to church on Christmas Eve. I will be having dinner on Christmas. The TV will be on for the parades and other Christmas programs. We are going to see a wonderful play later in the day. So why do I have this nagging feeling that I have forgotten something very important.

Have you ever felt like this during the Christmas hustle and bustle? Did you ever wonder who or what you have forgotten as you purchase your gifts? What about getting ready for the big Christmas dinner? Or even the day you go to church and celebrate with your family? What has been missed in all your Christmas plans?

Well I have started to read this wonderful book that was written just for this season. The name of the book is "His Christmas Presence" by Greg Laurie. So have you guessed what is missing from Christmas yet? No. Then let me share you a section from the book. Maybe after reading that you will know what is missing.

MISSING PERSON

Did you ever feel, as though you somehow lost God from your life? One day as you were going about you affairs, you suddenly realized that something was missing. And that's when it dawned on you that you hadn't given a single thought to God all day...or maybe several days. That connection with heaven you had always enjoyed seemed distant a best. It was almost as though He were gone.

I heard the story of a little boy who wandered into a local church. Wide-eyed, he saw all the candles lit for a time of prayer. Misunderstanding the meaning of those symbols, he proceeded to blow out all of the candles and sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

The minister, who observed all this, was incensed. When the boy walked out the doors, the priest followed him home. After the little guy went into his house, the minister knocked on the door, and the boy's mother answered.

"Yes, Reverend, what can I do for you?"

"He replied, "Ma'am, I want to speak to your son. He has on respect for God whatsoever."

With a sigh, she said, "Okay, Father, come on in. I'll get him."

The little boy walked slowly down the stairs from his room, coming to stand in front of the stern-faced man of the cloth.

"I have a question for you, son," he said. " Where is God?"

The boy didn't know what to say.

Again the minister leaned forward, and said, "Little boy, I asked you a question. Where is God?" At this, the boy's eyes went why as saucers and he started to tremble. When the minister asked him one more time, the little boy bolted out of the room, ran upstairs, and slammed the door of his bedroom behind him.

His mother ran to his room and said, "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Mommy," her son said in a frightened voice, "they have lost God at that church, and they think I took Him?"

We can lose God in the holiday season. But here is something to consider. If you feel far from God, guess who moved? God hasn't gone anywhere...but maybe you have. And in the busyness of the season and the so-called celebration of the birth of Christ we can forget all about Him.

You know how it is...On Wednesday there's a "white elephant" party at the office. Then on Thursday, there's that special Christmas you wanted to see with the family. And the weekend? Yikes! You have't sent your Christmas cards yet...and there's so much shopping...who will you ever get it all done?

And somewhere in it all, we lost track of our Lord.

Maybe there was a point in your life when you walked closely with the Lord, but in recent days it seems like you've lost sight of Him.

Laurie, G. (2007). His Christmas Presence. Allen David Publishers. Dana Point. pgs. 14 -16