At times our lives seem so ordinary.  But every birth is extraordinary and a miracle when you stop to think about it.  This season of Advent gives us so much to be thankful for. At the top of our list is the birth of Jesus.
 
Certainly, Christmas shopping, Santa Claus, and bright lights have their place in helping to prompt the Christmas spirit, but we need always to remember that the central light which glorifies Christmas is the birth of Jesus and his gift of love to all the world. 
 
The good news of Christmas is that God comes to all people. God came to “be with us” in an ordinary stable as a simple little child bringing us an extraordinary gift of love.  It is my hope that we will be ready to receive God’s extraordinary gift of love in the ordinary events of our lives.
 
May this also be a season to share God’s gift of love with others.  This too can be done through the little things of our ordinary lives: a touch, the words “I love you”, a smile, a caring word, a card, a simple act of service and simply “being with” another person.  Songwriters Avery and Marsh expressed this idea in a Christmas song with these words: 
 

Give a little something special, 
Give a little something more. 
Give a little love, give a little joy, 
Give a little credit to the baby boy, 
Who gave a little something special, 
Who gave a little something more.

 
May we each receive and give a little something special during this Christmas season. And may the spirit of the Prince of Peace continue to be unleashed in this troubled and hurting world of ours – as we live out the reality that “God is with us”!
 
In the Love, Light and Presence of Christ!

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This post originally appeared in The Wave on December 8, 2021