Why did Jesus come to earth?

JESUS CAME TO SAVE EVERYONE

One year when Christmas Day fell on a Sunday, one family found themselves travelling from Scotland to their home in Devon.  They stopped for lunch at a motorway service station’.  They were the only family in the restaurant.  The mother of the family tells her story:

“I heard Eric, my one year old, squeal with “Hi there”, the only words he spoke pounding his fat, baby hands on the metal high chair.  His face was alive with excitement.  His eyes were wide, gums bared in a toothless grin.  He wriggled and giggled.  Then I saw the source of his merriment.  A man who could only be described as a tramp wearing a tattered rag of a coat, obviously bought by somebody else years ago, dirty, greasy and worn; baggy trousers; toes that poked out of would-be shoes; a shirt that had a black ring around the collar and a face like no other face.  Gums as bare as Eric’s.  He said, “Hi there baby.  I can see you.”  My husband and I exchanged a look that was a cross between “What do we do?” and “Poor devil.” 

Well, the meal came and the banging and the noise continued.  Now the tramp was shouting across the room “Can you play pat-a-cake?  Peep Bo.”  Eric continued to shout the only two words he knew “Hi there.” “Hi there”.  The old man shouted back in answer every time, and his voice seemed to get louder.  My husband Denis was humiliated.  It was embarrassing.  Even our six-year-old girl said “Why is that old man talking so loud?”  Denis went to pay the bill, imploring me to get Eric and meet him at the car.  I prayed to the Lord, just get me out of here before that man speaks to me or Eric.

I grabbed Eric and bolted for the door, but it was soon obvious that both the old man and Eric had other plans.  He came to Eric.  Eric’s eyes were riveted on his best friend.  He stretched out his little arms in a baby’s “pick me up” position.  In a split-second Eric had jumped out of my arms and into the arms of the old man.  The tramp’s eyes said, “I hope you don’t mind me holding your baby?”  What could I say?  How could I refuse?   Suddenly a very old man and a very young baby were together.  Eric laid his tiny head upon the old man’s ragged shoulder.  The man’s eyes closed and I saw tears hover beneath the lashes.  His aged hands, full of grime and pain and hard work, so gently cradled my baby’s bottom and stroked his back.  I stood awe-struck.  The old man rocked and cradled Eric in his arms for a moment and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine.  He said in a firm, commanding voice “You take good care of this baby.”  And somehow, I managed to say “I will”.

He prised Eric from his chest unwillingly, as though he were in pain.  I opened my arms to receive my baby and again the gentleman addressed me - “God bless you Ma’am.  You’ve given me my Christmas gift.”  I said nothing more than a muttered “thanks”.  With Eric in my arms I ran for the car.  Denis wondered why I was crying and holding Eric so tightly, and saying “May God forgive me, forgive me.”

I’d like to suggest that the real meaning of Christmas is in that story.  Simply put, Eric is Baby Jesus, wanting to be loved and give love.  The old man is us.  How the Lord is yearning for our love so that He can mend our tattered lives, our tattered hurts, our tattered relationships and our tattered sins.  Jesus’ arms are always outstretched to hug us.  He is like the little baby who makes no distinctions but would embrace the very least – you and me. 

“And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”  That’s what Christmas is all about.  It’s about God reaching out and loving us.  And we must let our God love us because, if God is not with us and if God has not embraced our tattered lives, woe is us.  There is no hope and no light – only darkness and despair. 

Lord Jesus, this Christmas we, like the rag-tag shepherds are here to kneel in wonder and adoration and want to be loved and hugged by You.  May we never lose Your love.

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