Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-12-19
Church and Home
By REV. M. MIKKELSEN

again. 1t is depicted in writing, song
and conversation. 1t fills mind and
soul. Its happy overtones vibrate
through the air as it brings JOY and
blessing to us all. The shepherds
were the first to hear the angels
songs. How they rejoiced. They
understood that this wonderful gift
of Christmas to the world: To-day, a
Savior is born, was gift that would
last forever, and it was meant for all
the peoples of the earth. Thus their
Joy reaches out through all ages and
over all the world, for all times and
all nations to share in it.
There is connected with Christmas
a new appreciation of life. To see
God, ones heart must be clear. To
appreciate life in this new way is
to see God in new light. We may
doubt and deny, but life still exists.
We may have a very dim vision, but
God is still there, as real as ever. No
attitude of ours can change God or
alter his plans; they are forever mans
salvation through love. For this
reason he designed Christmas as an
annual celebration in commemora-
ton of the Savior's birth in the little
town of Bethlehem. If our hearts
may not be clear, or our vision dim,
there is the probability of purer
hearts and clearer vision as we pre-
pare to take part in the general re-
joicing. The angels songs, the shep-
herds gladness, and the reality they
beheld as they stood before the man
ger, may easily be transferred to any
place, church or home, and again at
any time be experienced in human
hearts clear enough to see the mean
ing of it all, and happy enough to
shout for joy. Our vision toward
those who need our love and gifts
certainly is broadened by our abili-
ty to appreciate the values of Christ
mas, such as brotherliness, generosi-
ty, and the appreciation of poetry.
In torn world, and in the midst
of discord and disappointment, the
idea, that we cannot keep Christmas,
is absurd. The more we need it
the greater and more genuine will
be the joy, when we experience the
fulfilment of it and realize, that it
measures up to its promise in every
detail. Why should it be more diff
cult this year for people through
out the world to enter into the real
spirit of Christmas? Burdened down
as some are, l believe they will ap-
preciate it more than ever. 1t was
never the goodness of man anyway
that caused us to rejoice truly and
lastingly; SO, no matter how darkened
the future may seem, the real reason
of genuine Christmas joy: Gods good
ness and love, is a present reality
as truly as ever. 1t was not the
perfectness of humanity that caused
the shepherds joy, it was not because
of wars and strife which fills the
hearts with fear and bitterness and
the world with discord and unhappi-
ness they rejoiced. They fully real
lied the desperate need of the world
at that time, and therefore, when
they saw that Gods program of love
to create in the world of men cheer
and good will was in progress of
fulfilling, they rejoiced.
Preaching the gospel of love, lend
ing our voices to bring to men, Gods
message of cheer and good will, we
do not forget, that millions are born
hungry and die hungry, and that
perhaps there is no immediate cure
for it, we merely venture to state
as our honest belief, that to live
hungry is possible only in God. With
out God it becomes a burden that
will crush you.