We’re technically ahead of the Advent kickoff, which is this coming Sunday, but for the sake of getting in all four weeks leading up to Christmas, I want to start now!
I can’t think of Christmas without thinking of my grandparents. And I can’t think of my grandparents without thinking of little orange slices. You know these candies? They are sugar coated oranges gummies that are shaped like an orange slice.
Grandma always had these out and I would eat them by multitudes each time we’d visit. Sometimes, I would suck all the sugar off and then enjoy the gummy goodness, while other pieces would be savored over a couple of bites. There were many that would be consumed in a single bite eaten on the run. This was my favorite fruit when I was younger, especially at g-mas! Zero vitamin C in case you were wondering.
There’s a Christmas story of a boy who was an orphan and lived in a very poor group home with nine other kids. Every year at Christmas, donations would come in and the atmosphere around the orphanage always seemed to brighten with the light of the activity.
One particular gift always given was a long standing and highly anticipated tradition was an orange. Fruit was not a very frequent treat in general for the kids but especially the sweet and juicy aromatic color fruit. And to only get it once a year, every child would be overjoyed and would hold onto their orange as long as possible, waiting to indulge even, till after Christmas.
Jake, one of the kids, broke a house rule and was immediately reprimanded and punished. The consequences included missing out on the Christmas orange. He laid in bed crying, absolutely devastated that he wouldn’t get to have one this year. With not much else to look forward to, he had his hopes set on this one item, and now was missing out completely while the others got to enjoy theirs!
In the darkness of the night, and with Jake still grieving his loss, a hand touched his shoulder and then put an odd object in his fingers. Jake felt the strange but familiar contents that was given and under the moonlight through the window Jake’s sorrow was gone and his hope had returned. He was holding nine individual pieces of nine different oranges to make up a full orange.
Each child had given him one of theirs. In nine selfless acts each of the kids sacrificed a piece of theirs but that also meant they had to eat theirs sooner than planned. They gave up a portion of their joy to restore it in Jake.
Advent is a season of HOPE and in our world, many have lost theirs. Maybe it has been due to their own poor choices, or perhaps because of the self-full and hateful acts of others, or possibly due to unexpected unfortunate life circumstances. But whatever the cause, the darkness remains.
The coming of Jesus is a Christmas orange in a world of lost hope.
In the beginning of Creation the world was dark and filled with disorder; it was empty and there was nothing, a pretty hopeless situation. Then, God spoke and at the sound of His voice, the earth was given order, structure, design and new life. To kick off God’s creating, LIGHT broke the darkness.
In John 1, we read of a similar event where the LIGHT of the world is SPOKEN into existence by the Creator God. Hope is restored. Darkness is defeated. Light dawns is an orange to an orphan. Jesus is that hope.
Would you receive Him today?
If you have, would you give Him away to someone who is missing out on their Christmas orange?
Blessings on you as we head into Christmas. Can’t wait to share more sweetness in the coming weeks!
#SeasonOfSweetness
#Hope
#OrangeYouGladIDidntSayBanana
#RestoringWholenessOfLife
Brett
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