An Empty Christmas

Christmas is a wonderful time to reflect on many things. Family, friends, neighbors and those less fortunate. Even though the world makes it so commercial, Christmas is still my favorite time of the year. Early this morning I awoke and could not get right back to sleep. As a result of sleeplessness I decided to lay in bed and draw as I often do, it sometimes makes me sleepy. So I started sketching an idea for my annual Christmas card and as I was trying to work out the idea my thoughts started leading me to write some ideas for this blog.

The Story of an Empty Christmas
by Terry Banks Sr.

On Christmas morning a little boy sat by his Christmas tree with three open boxes in his hands and a puzzled look on his face. The little boy looked at his father and said, "Daddy, Santa made a mistake, these gifts are empty."

The boy's father smiled and replied gently, "Oh no son, it's not a mistake. Those gifts are the greatest gifts of all."

The little boy was completely puzzled now, "How can these empty boxes be the greatest gift of all?"

The dad knew that he had the boy's attention. So he picked up his son, still holding one of the empty gifts, and sat him in his lap and proceeded to explain. "You see son, you can't see these gifts with your own eyes or touch these gifts with your hands but they are the true gifts of Christmas.

The First empty gift is the empty manger in which Jesus was laid when he was born. That was the greatest gift man had ever known. It was the answer to the world's problems. This gift was peace on earth and good will towards men. This gift was the promise of God reuniting with mankind. This was God in the form of a man. But soon Jesus left the manger and became a man so he could fulfill God's word and he left us an EMPTY MANGER.

The second empty gift is the empty cross. The cross that crucified our Lord. Where he took upon the sins of the world and died in our place. This was the one single act that broke the power of sin over our lives. Jesus died for our sins, when it should have been us. But soon Jesus died, paying the ultimate price to fulfill God's word and he left us with an EMPTY CROSS.

The third empty gift is the empty grave. Three days after Jesus died he rose from the grave with the promise of eternal life to all that would believe on him. His resurrection was the fulfillement of the promise that death no longer has power over us and we can now live eternally with God. But soon Jesus left the grave to prepare heaven for us so he could fulfill God's word and he left us with an EMPTY GRAVE.

These three gifts are the true meaning of Christmas:

The Empty Manger - The Gift of Eternal hope and peace where God became man - The gift from God

The Empty Cross - The Gift of Attonement. Jesus' life was given in place of ours.

The Empty Grave - The Gift of Life and proof of redemption.

These three empty gifts that Jesus gave us can give us the fullest life we could ever know and that is the purpose of the empty gifts.

The little boy had a glow on his face as he snuggled in his father's lap but then a questioning look came upon his little face and he asked, "Daddy, I understand now about the gifts but what am I supposed to do with them now?"

The father smiled from ear to ear and said with a tear in his eye, "Simple son, give them away."

--I hope you experience a full Christmas this year. God bless you.

Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr. - Used by Permission