You.

Remember the height from which you have fallen? Revelation two, verse five. This verse might not sound like it is related to the Christmas story at all, but let me explain. A number of years ago, I was putting Christmas lights up on our roof. The peak of the roof is just high enough that I had to stand on the top rung of my ladder to reach the nail on which the top light can be attached. You already know where this story is headed, don't you? I was attaching the last light when the ladder tipped and gravity took over. Down I went, crashing onto the fallen ladder beneath me. I quickly assessed the situation and discovering that I had no visible broken bones and still had my wits about me, I felt a little like the guy in Clement Moore's poem the night before Christmas, a visit from St. Nicholas, who laughed when I saw him in spite of myself. Those who don't believe in Christmas angels or miracles might change their minds when they realize how close I came to landing on bricks lining the flower bed near the front of the house where my ladder once stood so tall it was a near death experience that I hoped no one else had witnessed. But alas, that was not to be. As fate would have it, my neighbor's mother was pulling into their driveway just as I fell. Seeing the whole thing, she and her daughter came rushing over, phone in hand, ready to call 911, certain that I would likely be in a full body cast for much of the year to come. Being much spier than I am now, I bounced up like nothing had happened and assured the panicked woman that all was well. She didn't believe me, and she sent her son out to make sure that I really was okay. I was. My ladder wasn't. That was the last year I put Christmas lights up on top of our roof. Now, years later, whenever I read revelation two five, I chuckle. Remember the height from which you have fallen true, that verse isn't about Christmas per se. That verse is scolding the church in ancient Ephesus because she had forgotten her first love. Which does make it a Christmas verse in a way, because at times we get so caught up in the peripheral things during the holidays that we too, are guilty of not keeping Jesus at the center of our celebrations. It goes without saying that we need to exercise caution when putting Christmas lights up on the roof. It should also go without saying that we need to be careful to keep our eyes and our minds focused on Christ, not only at Christmas, but all year long.

This has been your thought for the day with Steve Burkham, pastor of Community Christian Church in Stockton, California. If you have questions or comments for Pastor Steve, please send them to [email protected]. Have a great day, and we hope you'll join us tomorrow as Pastor Steve opens God's word to bring us another thought for the day.