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Following Jesus
Earthly Cross
His Name Is
Apostles Creed
Dealing with Feelings
Jonah
Get Real
Promised Land Living

Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105

(262) 763-3021

Email:
Pastor Scott Carson

Secretary Patti Hall

PASTOR'S PENS 2003

Grace Church of Burlington December 21, 2003 The cost of the Twelve Days of Christmas Rick Majerus, men's basketball coach at the University of Utah, captured a common concern: "Everyone's worried about the economy this year. Hey, my hairline is in recession, my waistline is in inflation, and altogether, I'm in depression." Obviously, Coach Majerus had not calculated what inflation has done to the Twelve Days of Christmas gifts.             According to a just‑released report by CNN's economists, the cost of the Twelve Days of Christmas has skyrocketed to $65,264 plus shipping and handling. What this means, essentially, is that whoever figured this out has way too much time on his hands. It also means that if your true love decides to surprise you by making that song his (or her) shopping list, he will experience sticker‑shock when he finds "seven swans a‑swimming" on eBay.  Yep, he'll be crying "fowl" as he forks out $21,000 for those once‑ugly ducklings, not to mention the price for the calling birds, french hens, turtle doves and partridge.  The good news is he won't have to pay for gift‑wrapping.             Thankfully, one can still get eight maids a‑milking at minimum wage (to my knowledge there is no maid milking union).  But drummers, pipers and dancers don't come so cheap any more.  Still, all in all, the 364 items listed in that song would be a magnanimous gesture of affection...tinged with temporary insanity.             Speaking of "true love" and lavish Christmas gifts, we need to look no farther than Bethlehem. The presents were not spread out over a dozen days. There was a single gift, given on one amazing night. God skipped the drum and fife corps, settling instead on "a multitude of the heavenly host" (Luke 2:13, KJV).  Perhaps there was a maid milking one of the cows in that stable. Maybe there was the occasional coo of a nearby turtledove. But the gift, wrapped only in bands of crude cloth, was a baby.             No, that present from our true love didn't cost $65,000. The price was infinitely higher. That baby was one‑of‑a‑kind. Totally unique. Completely perfect. Beyond description. His first cry that night signaled the momentous arrival of Emmanuel, "God with us."  His final cry thirty‑three years later,"It is finished", would signal the eternal salvation of His people...His sheep.              So the next time you hear someone sing, "...my true love gave to me..." think of Bethlehem. Think of the baby. Think of the Savior. Think of amazing grace.  God's single gift was a magnanimous gesture of affection...tinged with eternal wisdom.