2022 Worship Guide

2022 Worship Guide LINCOLN DAILY NEWS December 1, 2022 Page 15 Pastor-Chaplain Ryan Edgecombe Broadwell Christian Church and The Christian Village “ When soft in the silence a voice he heard, Lift up your head for I kept My word. Three times my shadow crossed your floor. Three times I came to your lonely door. For I was the beggar with the bruised, cold feet. I was the woman you gave something to eat. I was the child on the homeless street.” Three times I knocked, and three times I came in, and each time I found the warmth of a friend. Of all of the gifts, love is the best, I was honored to be your Christmas Guest.” These beautiful words are from the poem, “The Christmas Guest” by Helen Steiner Rice. This well-known work tells the story of a lonely man who has been told that the Lord is coming to his house for Christmas. He is so excited and hasn’t been this happy in a long Give with compassion as you see the “Image of God” in each individual time. He had worked hard and with great enthusiasm in getting ready for this Holy visit. While he is waiting on his Lord, he has the opportunity to provide help and hospitality to three different individuals in need. He provided shoes and a coat for one, a place to rest and food for another, and helped a lost child find their way home at the end of the story. The man is discouraged when Christmas is over, and The Lord never arrived. As you can see from the above excerpt, The Lord did come in each of those three individuals and found love and compassion! What a great ending! As we all know Christmas is a time of giving, a time of generosity, and a time of compassion. It seems that our hearts get a little bigger and Continued --