=
[It has been the Griffin fam=
ily tradition to read the Christmas Story from Luke 2 before opening gifts =
on Christmas morning. In 1970, in our first Christmas as husband and wife, =
we sat alone in a quiet Watertown apartment and read. Fifty-six years later=
, we sit alone in the quiet warmth of our home (back in Watertown in retire=
ment), surrounded by frozen tundra and snow drifts, and read. We invi=
te you to read with us from the English Standard Version translation of God=
’s inspired Word]
In those days,&nbs=
p;a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be&=
nbsp;registered. [This was the first registration before Qui=
rinius was governor of Syria.] And all went to be registered, eac=
h to his own town.
And Joseph also=
went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the=
city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the =
house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,=
who was with child. And while they were there, the time cam=
e for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and&n=
bsp;wrapped him in swaddling cloth and laid him in a manger, because t=
here was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping=
watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appear=
ed to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were=
filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, =
for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all th=
e people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David=
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will b=
e a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth and =
lying in a manger.”
And suddenly t=
here was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God =
and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth=
peace, good will among men!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to on=
e another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has h=
appened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went wit=
h haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.&nbs=
p;
And when they saw it, they made known=
the saying that had been told them concerning this child. All who hea=
rd it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasure=
d up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds =
returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen,=
as it had been told them.
~~
Dr Bob G=
riffin
[email protected] www.grif.net
“From all harm safe in His sheltering arms
I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.”=
www.avast.com