Here’s a great story from Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. It’s about a recovering alcoholic called Jim. It was his first Christmas alone, and when a young family sat down beside him in the pew he couldn’t handle it. As he was leaving the church he met Pastor Thomas Tedwell, who asked where he was going. ‘Out for a drink,’ he replied. Tedwell said, ‘You can’t. Where’s your sponsor?’ ‘On vacation,’ replied Jim. ‘I came here tonight looking for a word of hope and ended up sitting beside this happy family. And if I had my life together, I’d be here with mine.’ As the pastor walked to the pulpit he prayed, ‘God, give me a word of hope for Jim.’ Then after welcoming the congregation, he said, ‘I’ve an unusual request. If anyone here is a friend of Bill W.’s, and if you are – you’ll know it – please meet me in the vestry.’ (Bill Wilson, better known as Bill W., cofounded Alcoholics Anonymous). Immediately people from all over the church began to respond. As Dr Tedwell observed, ‘While I was busy preaching about the Incarnation, the Word was becoming flesh before my eyes!’ This Christmas some of the people around you are hurting; they’ve lost hope. So, ‘Let the word become flesh.’ Lift the fallen, encourage the despairing, and minister to the sick, the lonely, and the forgotten. Jesus said, ‘When you did it to these my brothers you were doing it to me!’ (Matthew 25:40 TLB). Instead of keeping to yourself this year, reach out to someone. Go ahead – it’ll be your best Christmas ever!© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

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