REFLECTIONS
December 27, 2009
 
 
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
 
 
 
What Remains
 
Gifts have been opened and the wrap picked up. Toys have been enjoyed, clothes tried on, and electronics are ready to use. All that remains from Christmas this year are the decorations and those will be stored away in a few days. Anticipation has ended and now I wonder what will remain from the season.
I have sometimes wondered what happened to that Christmas card I gave to Mom when I was ten-years old. She told me it was the best gift she ever received, but I never saw it anywhere again. Maybe she put it away with other treasures I never knew she had. Or maybe it was tossed out with other Christmas cards at season’s end. I only know that whatever she did with it, all that remains now is the thought behind it.
I have also wondered what happened to the gifts the Magi brought to the Christ child. The Bible tells us the distance they traveled; it suggested how long it took them to get there; and it described the gifts they selected. But it doesn’t mention the gifts again, so I wonder what became of them.
Mary and Joseph were not wealthy so I wonder if they needed to use them for survival. The gifts were valuable items, so maybe they were sold to provide food, shelter, and clothing during their stay in Bethlehem. Or maybe they used their proceeds for provisions while they escaped to Egypt for a few years. Whatever happened to the gifts back then, what remains now are the commitments behind them. In faith the Magi followed the star from the east. In hope they found the newborn King; and in love their gifts were given.
Christmas this year is settling deep into our memories, and the memories of the gifts will quickly fade. But what remains is the same as that first Christmas so very long ago. What remains is faith in Jesus Christ our Savior, hope in his coming again, and love, the greatest of them all.
And isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
 
“You are the light of the world.”
RichardÌ


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