Tim & Pam Darling

Tim & Pam Darling

January 8, 2008

The Christmas Program-To do or not to do?
“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

For the umpteenth time we went over the men’s part for a song for the Christmas program.  No use.  I decided we had better go on to something else and hope for improvement the following week.  Next we learned that two of our best men singers would be traveling and would not be present for the program.  Because of their absence, one of our choir pieces would have to be eliminated.  Now we were down to just three plus one solo number…Our program was bare, like a Christmas tree with only four ornaments!  On the way home that night after the service, I asked my husband if it was really worth the while to go through this torture ever year.  “Sure it is,” said the ever-positive half.

This year’s program was different from usual since it concentrated more on the “Shy” of Christ’s first coming, utilizing hymns not normally used such as, “I Gave My Life for Thee,” “Oh Love Divine,” and “He Was Wounded” along wit the traditional Christmas carols.  Scripture reading included passages on the purpose and reason for Christ’s coming in the flesh along with the traditional story of Christ’s birth.

Thanks to the help of two friends experienced in drama and scenery, a background was created, portraying a manger in the opening of a cave and up to the right, on a hill, a cross.  The Sunday before the Christmas program, Tim spoke on two elements that demonstrated Christ’s humility, the manger and the cross.  As he preached, we could see the scene clearly before us, the manger with a purple cloth draped over it (speaking of what Christ laid aside), and the cross in the background.

But what did God do about the lack of our two singers for the program?  You will probably remember that our son Daniel and his wife Karrah are here.  Daniel taught a course in the Bible Institute, and Karrah has been a tremendous help in numerous areas.  Then two days before the Christmas program, Sarah our daughter with her very special friend Caleb Burdett arrived from the states.  With these four extra people we were able to add five more songs, vocal and instrumental.  Great!  But even more blessings were in store!

There were several visitors the night of the program because the church family had been encouraged to invite their unsaved friends.  After the program, one young man who had been invited made a profession of faith when one of the deacons spoke to him. One of the ladies of our church had invited the Garcias, a mom, dad, and daughter.  That invitation started a chain reaction.

The Garcias were experiencing a crisis with a family member who previously had been involved in demonic activity.  He presently was suffering in the hospital as a result of his diabetic condition and had frankly given up on life.  He refused to eat and wished to die.  The family asked for the pastor to visit him the following week.  At that visit he received Christ and immediately asked for something to eat.  Later that week, the Garcias received Christ because of he change they witnessed in their family member.  Because of the influence of that one family, there were 25 visitors in church last Sunday alone!

Was it the Christmas program that did this marvelous work? No.  God used it as a part of the whole series of events that led this family to Himself.  Because of the Christmas program, these people came to church and thus God provided the way for them to come and to know Him as Savior.

How many times do we ask I f it is really worth the while to minister?  Many times we won’t see the results of our ministry efforts and it will seem as though what we do is pointless.  This Christmas program encouraged us anew to keep our eyes upon the One who has called us and to be faithful where He has placed us, doing all that He has asked us to do.

Thank you so much for your prayers for us.  May God richly bless you folks in the coming year and may you grow in your knowledge of our Great God!
 

In Christ,

Tim & Pam Darling