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Listen while you read: "O Little Town Of Bethlehem"1 (Lyrics) |
Psalm 136:23 – It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever. (ESV)
It was the saddest Christmas school assembly that I'd ever experienced. I left as a devastated six-year-old. The evening had included a gift exchange arranged earlier through drawing names. One by one, the principal announced the name printed on each present, soon followed by an excited child scurrying to the front to grab it. I waited eagerly for my name to be announced. But it never happened. There was no gift with my name on it.
That evening, my parents drove home a sobbing little girl. They tried to console me with a present from under our family tree. But it wasn't the same. Really, this wasn't about a missing present. It was about not being remembered, and that left a painful vacuum in my soul.
That childhood memory keeps me aware of the human longing to be remembered. Maybe that's partly why I enjoy Christmas. It's a season when we gather to remember one another.
I've always appreciated the various tangible ways that others say to me, "I remember you!" Sometimes, I record such connections in my "Diary of daily blessings". But also, I'm aware of the miserable human plight of the countless ones who have no one to reach out to them. Deep down, their souls cry out, "Oh, please remember me!" They crave some tangible expression of mercy, love, and affirmation.
Really, isn't that what makes Jesus' advent still relevant today? This Christ Child came to be our heavenly Father's tangible means of saying, "I remember you!" Christ is our personal gift on Whom our name is written. Through receiving Him, our soul truly discovers its worth — as expressed in the song, O Holy Night:
- Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
Mary believed that her unborn Son would fulfill this ancient promise. She expressed it this way: "He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." (Luke 1:54-55 NIV)
I encourage you to ponder God's magnificent covenant promise. Think about it till you find yourself swept up by its enormous impact. Think about it as God remembering us — forever — yes, by restoring estranged sinners to Himself! It's the hope so desperately needed — for young and old, for our families, for you, me, everyone.
Let us each now ask ourselves, How well do I sense that desperate soul cry, "O, please remember me!" How well do I myself sense God remembering me? Surely, that's what stirs us to plead:
Prayer: O loving Saviour, Who came as the "holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in. Be born in us today. O come to us, abide with us, our Lord, Immanuel." (O little town of Bethlehem – Phillips Brooks) Amen.
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Thanks for the comforting reminder, Diane.
Thank you once again. Your nutshells must be overflowing.
(ON)
I just mailed a number of Christmas cards to friends I haven’t seen since before COVID. I am remembering them.
Diane,
Thank you for your thoughtful and touching devotional.
God bless.
Thank you, Diane, for another of your special writings. Sorry you experienced such a sad happening in your early childhood. Blessings as you continue to share your devotional submissions.
Thank you for sharing your sad memory with us today. My heart broke for the little girl that you once were. Isn’t it wonderful to have faith that God never forgets us, though, especially after feeling so hurt!
A very touching post that really makes one reflect on the importance of remembering others.
Many thanks and blessings to you and your family this Christmas season, Diane!
Thank you for the daily devotion today – we do need to remember friends and family, and this was an encouragement and passed along to a cousin that lost his wife suddenly very recently.
Keep writing and encouraging us daily!
(Ontario)
Merry Christmas Diane
You do not know what this devotional means for me!! Wow, at least I believe it is confirmation I believe for what God popped into my heart just yesterday. My friend drove me to emergency to check all was ok after I fell earlier but still having pain but we both mentioned it was first time ever seeing children outside this building we were driving by. Wow she told me it was an orphanage! Can you imagine what went through my mind. Then I read your devotion today about remember me….It is exciting to see what God is going to do with this!!!!
Have a blessed day and thank you.
Good morning, Diane,
What a great reminder that we all want to feel that we belong and are cared for. A little extra care on the part of the teachers to make sure everyone had a gift and had an extra one or two in case someone didn’t bring one would have made a big difference. Your parents had gifts under the tree to offer you, but I am sure there were other families that if they hadn’t received a gift there maybe wasn’t anything else.
It is a great reminder that every single person in this world wants to feel like they belong, and people care. I have this conversation with my granddaughter about people’s behaviour and sometimes they do something odd because they are looking to be noticed and to feel they belong.
We need to each day smile at people when we are walking or say hello. We need to call people we know who might be lonely so they feel they belong – this takes courage and effort, but it is important, especially with this pandemic causing more isolation.
Thanks for sharing and may you know that you belong and we enjoy your devotionals. Blessings and Merry Christmas.
Thank you, Diane. This is lovely and very encouraging.