Below is the story I wrote for our church’s Advent season in 2010. It is the story of my grandson Marcus Larabie’s salvation story from Christmas 2009 when he was 9 years old. I have not changed a word as I hope the context and story would speak to those who read it. Marcus went to be with Jesus on Boxing Day, December 26, 2014 due to a tragic car accident. This story has given our family great comfort in a time of grief. My prayer is that it will comfort you, too. Jim Martens (Buppa Jim)
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“What God Wants for Christmas”
A reading for Boxing Day 2010
One story I had the opportunity to share with all six of my grand kids occurred exactly one year ago yesterday. It was Christmas Day 2009. Our immediate family was at my daughter Tracy’s house for Christmas dinner. After dinner I had the privilege of sharing a story with them. But before I tell you what happened last year, you need some background information.
Here at South Delta, from Monday to Friday, the First Steps pre-school has been offering their services to children in families within our church and the larger community for many years. At Christmas time, Director Dawna-Lynn Broadhead has given families a unique gift that’s publicized as an interactive kid-friendly nativity. It’s called “What God Wants for Christmas.” It’s a small box that contains 7 little gift boxes and a story book to follow. Six of the boxes have a major figure from the Christmas nativity – the angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus, a shepherd and a wiseman. The seventh box is a surprise which I will only share cryptically now and explain later. The objective of this exercise is to tell the nativity story by using the gifts and having the kids open them as the story is read aloud. As you bring out each gift you explain its significance to them and have kids place each figure on an enclosed manger scene. Dawna-Lynn had told Nena that it was a great way to share the nativity story with children.
And as Nena and I have 6 grand kids, the interactive nature of the 6 main nativity figures meant each child would be included. All 6 kids could pick out one gift to hold and open it and share it with the others at the appropriate time. It seemed the perfect story structure for our grand kids that day especially when the 7th gift in the box is actually for everyone to see and observe individually.
As I read the rhyming couplets, the story hinted as to the final gift. At the end of each story it said:
What God wants for Christmas? It’s–to you–a surprise.
In box number seven it is disguised.
But–no peeking! Be patient! For this you must wait.
It’s what you offer Him, and it’s really great!
This was repeated six times. If kids have never experienced this retelling of the nativity story, they are really looking forward to seeing what is in the seventh box. When you finally allow them to look, a smile usually is apparent. Kids are reflective–cryptic reference–and they understand what God wants!
Yes, the seventh box contains a mirror and their own face is reflected back to them. As the story book says:
What God wants for Christmas? Now here’s the surprise
In box number seven, where it’s been disguised.
Peek in the box, for so long you have waited,
What God wants is you‑the one he created!
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“Me?” you ask. “Why is that so?”
“I cannot wrap me and put on a bow!”
No, you cannot; but what you can give
Are the choices you make in the life that you live.
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God wants you to know Him and love Him within
And this is called worship, an offering to Him
To do this, trust Jesus, who died in your place
When you didn’t deserve Him—that is called grace.
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Pray now and offer your life and your heart
Say, “Jesus, I need You. I’d like a new start.
Forgive me today for the sins I’ve committed
So one day in heaven I will be permitted.”
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When you pray this decision, the heavens rejoice
That you have made worship of God your life’s choice.
God wants you to know Him, so choose every day
To love God and thank God and give Him all praise!
When I finished reading a few of the kids said they had already asked Jesus into their hearts. My grand son, Marcus, said, “I haven’t yet.” I said, “Do you want to do that?” To which he replied, “Yes.” And there, with all his cousins sharing in the experience, he repeated a pray of salvation. What a great Christmas evening that was!
We all know that Christmas gifts come in all shapes and sizes but the gift of salvation is the greatest one we can accept no matter if we are 9 or 79.
It’s uncanny how seven little boxes, a poetic retelling of a story that many of us have heard for years, just needed to add a small, but critical, twist and the new gained perspective has been the catalyst to changing young lives for eternity. I don’t know how many children have been affected by this interactive nativity, but I’m one grandfather that knows its importance in my family.
This year, lets remember the significance of the manger and the Child within it. He came that we might have life and live it abundantly. My hope this coming year is that if you have not accepted this Child–who is our Savior and Lord–that you will think on these things. My prayer is that the stories we share in heaven some day will include my family and yours as well.
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Postscript: I didn’t know when I wrote that final sentence, that four years later, to the day, Marcus would be called home to Jesus. If you have not considered Jesus, please do. I would like you to meet my grandson Marcus and I some day and we can share our stories in heaven. May God bless you! (January 6, 2015)
This was so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your heart. You are a very good grandfather.
Thank you, Linda. I feel blessed by God to have had a small hand in Marcus’ salvation story.