The Baby King

Read this story with the idea that it is a story about a true story.

It is Christmas.  We are celebrating the birth of a king, in a time long ago.  His birth was a miracle.  It had been foretold many years before by the prophets and great men of old.  Feasts had been held for many years before His birth that pointed to Him so people would recognize Him when He came because no one knew the precise time when He would arrive .  His birth was a miracle and a mystery, for He was born of an earthly woman - a virgin - but His father was not flesh and blood, but Spirit that ruled heaven.  This King was the Son of God!
On the night of His birth, angels were sent to shepherds nearby tending their flocks and they were told a king - their king - had entered the world.  This was entirely appropriate for this king was to rule the highborn and the lowly.  The angels broke out in joyful songs, announcing this amazing birth.  The shepherds saw the bright star that announced the baby king's entry to the earth,and were the only ones on that night besides the angels to welcome and worship this newborn king.  The important men in this country where the new king was born, missed all of the signs announcing his birth.

About this time , there were unusual signs in the sky.  Astronomers from the far east saw something they had never seen before.  It was the appearance of the brightest star anyone had ever seen.  These astronomers - knowing the prophecies of a King to come - packed up their things, and started on a journey that would take them to the newborn King.  They gathered gifts suitable for a King - precious spices that were greatly valued - gold, frankincense and myhr. and they packed them carefully.  Their caravan included soldiers for protection as well as many servants with camels and donkeys, and food rations for they had a very long way to go,  The King came though as a servant.  He came from heaven, where His beauty and glory was dazzling, and for man's sake, He took on the nature of a servant.  He became like a Shepherd caring for an unruly flock of sheep.

The great company of men from the east followed the star that would lead them to the new King.  The trip was long and led them to Jerusalem.  They went to a ruler there named Herod and asked where the new baby king had been born.  He was a jealous ruler and a bad man.  He questioned the religious leaders and asked where this baby was to  be born.  The told him Bethlehem.  The star led the caravan of men from the east to a humble lodging in Bethlehem where they found the baby king, his mother and her husband.   They worshiped him and gave their precious gifts to him.  Then they went back to their home another way, because they had been warned in a dream not to tell Herod where they found the baby king.

Today, men have forgotten that Christmas is the celebration of the baby king's birth.  They love to decorate their houses and businesses, singing songs and giving gifts at family gatherings.  They don't talk about the joyous miracle birth of the baby king who came to save all of the people in the world, but instead have erected a great stone statue, painted with bright red and green colors.  It is supposed to be an image of a man who gives presents to all children in the world.  He only gives to those who are "good" and the gift giving is not in joy because of the king's birth, but it is because they love the gifts.

The baby king lived and taught men the ways of the kingdom, showing them how to live.  He worked miracles of healing for anyone who came to him, loving each one of them.  But the people who should have recognized him, killed him.  And He let them.  They whipped him and nailed him to a cross and let him die.  They misunderstood him when they should have  recognized him.  They fought against him when they should have stood by him.  They hated him when they should have loved him.   But He came back!  His love was so great that even death could not hold him.  The rest of the story is ANOTHER  story, but really - it's the same that we will save for another time, for this one is about the birth of the baby king!

To those of us with Parkinson's Disease, or any other, is the gift (of health, happiness, comfort, etc.) more important, or is it the gift giver  more important?  Which one do you seek?