December 11, 2020 (Friday)
Today is December 11, which is only two weeks away from Christmas Day.
There is a theory about conception of time and the way it changes as we grow older. The theory is that we view a time period as a percentage of how long we have lived. One year to a five-year old amounts to 20% of that person’s life. He probably does not remember the first two years, so it seems more like 1/3 of his life. When Christmas is a year away, which will be the case on the day after Christmas this year, it seems like a long, long time. But when I, at 89 years of age, think of that same year, it will amount to only 1.1% of my life. My perception of a year is so different from a 5-year old’s perception of the same year.
So, Christmas is two weeks away. To the 5-year old, that’s a long time. It’s so hard to wait. To people like me, however, it’s no time at all. The day will arrive before we know it. It’s almost here.
During worship services, little children around 5 years of age have always drawn pictures on a piece of paper (usually a church bulletin) if they have to attend church with grown ups. That one hour, that zips by so quickly if you are the preacher, is an eternity if you are a small child. So what did the children draw in the old days when no activity sheets were available? Mostly they drew pictures of the preacher and his pulpit. They may not have understood what he was talking about, but they figured out that he was the reason all the grown ups were looking at him and listening. The concept of “children’s church” became a wonderful idea, a good thing for the parents and the children.
Whatever may be your age, Christmas is two weeks away according to the calendar. It seems to be nearly here for some, but a long way off for others. But it will arrive. You cannot put it off forever.
It comes again and again because there is a longing in our hearts to hear the story once again–the story of the love of God for all people. Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. His name shall be called, “Wonderful!”
