Through a large plate glass window I watched a single snowflake fall gently to the ground. I darted from the window to join the warmth and excitement of my family, all decorating the tree. After Dad played the music on his trumpet, and the fruit-loops and popcorn were strung for the tree, Mom would dig out the old family ornaments and recall each detail of its past. None matched, some were glass, some wood, but each had its own story. “This was your Great-Aunt Marie’s,” she would say as she hung it with care. I could feel the excitement in my little six-year-old tummy as she approached my special ornament. “This one,” she said, “was given by your Great-Aunt Emma to Sarah.” It was a flat, shiny ornament of Santa and his reindeer flying away. Simply engraved on his golden sleigh was, “SARAH.” I loved Aunt Emma. She was so loving and giving to us. We each had our very own ornament from Great-Aunt Emma; she didn’t want to leave anyone out. Though the story behind my ornament was short, the ornament small, it meant a whole lot to me, because it was mine.
I’m sure that Jesus looks at each of us and with great excitement He tells our stories. He holds us up to show the heavenly hosts and recalls the story of who we used to be. Look at this one, they had no idea who I was, they were lonely and lost. Now look! They called on my name and now they are marked as mine. They always have hope now and shine my light! See that one? She was in darkness, but now she belongs to me! I bought her, not with silver or gold, but I bought her with my own blood. In fact, I was born to bring her back to the Father, and now she’s mine.
(2 Cor. 1:22 “He has put his brand upon us—His mark of ownership—and given us his Holy Spirit in our hearts as guarantee that we belong to him…” TLB)
(Eph. 2:7 “And now God can always point to us as examples of how very, very rich his kindness is, as shown in all he has done for us through Jesus Christ.” TLB)
(Eph 2:12b,13 “You were lost, without God, without hope. But now you belong to Christ Jesus, and though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought very near to him because of what Jesus Christ has done for you with his blood”. TLB)
