Christmas Sam

Luke 1:49 – For the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name. (NIV)

I call him Christmas Sam because he doesn't just enter a room, rather, he bursts in with his face radiant, as bright as a night star, and with legs that wobble a wee bit like Tiny Tim's. If he should fall, he just jumps back up with a happy smile and refuses to let the wobble slow him down. He has a twin sister who sits at the dinner table beside him. Together they give thanks and sample the offerings on their plate. It is at this point that Sam looks at his sister with soft round eyes and says, "You are beautiful, and I am wonderful." The joyous quality of his voice could set the Christmas bells ringing.

It is hard to believe that this child, this Christmas Sam, was almost lost to us, for when Sam was but a few weeks old, he lay in a coma for an entire summer. Sam was on life support. The machine's lights blinked, and tubes hissed as he lay. Beside his tiny hospital bed sat his mother. She sang to him; she read to him, often touching and stroking him with hands and voice. This mother's prayers ascended like a love song to the throne of God and the heart of His Lamb. Sam was delivered and given back to us whole. I call him Christmas Sam because by that first Christmas, we knew that Sam was truly here to stay! My nephew is now four years old.

Many years ago, the most honoured mother of all, Mary, lifted her voice in a love song to the Father. In today's Scripture, she sang, "For the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name." Her song preceded Christ's birth. He came to deliver us all and to help wee ones like Sam. And it is Mary's song that I ponder this season, as I give thanks for our Lord's birth and for the healing of Christmas Sam.

Prayer: O Mighty One, as we enter into the wonder of the season, we know the reason that we should lift our hearts and voices in song, and sing as Mary did, to say thank You for the birth of Your Son. He is with us! Amen.

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