Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!
Luke 2:14
When songwriter Buck Ram was a homesick 16-year-old college student, he scribbled some words for his mom, a poem called, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” He left a copy with some friends in a bar, but did not speak of it afterward. Imagine his surprise when, shortly afterward, Bing Crosby recorded “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” making it one of the biggest hits of 1943. The whole affair ended up in court, but the song’s popularity was undiminished because, after all, we all want to be home for Christmas.
But sometimes that just isn’t possible; and that’s when we start singing another song–“I’ll have a blue Christmas without you.”
When it comes to Christmas, the why is more important than the where. When we’re worshipping Jesus, anywhere will do and everywhere is Christmas. His presence is within us. His eternity is before us. His arms are beneath us. His love is around us. When we focus on Jesus rather than ourselves, we forget about the secular songs and sing instead Gloria in excelsis Deo!–Glory to God in the Highest!
If you can’t be home for Christmas, be at home with Christmas wherever you are!
Jesus’ coming is the final and unanswerable proof that God cares.
William Barkley, commentator
