Wellness During the Christmas Season

One January morning, a world class violinist played six of Johann Bach’s most stirring concertos written for a violin solo and played on a 300 year old Stradivarius valued at over 3.5 million dollars.  Two nights before he performed to a sold out audience paying as much as $200 for the “nosebleed” seats, but this time the performance was free.  Joshua Bell, a renowned violinist ditched his tux for a baseball cap and a pair of jeans and played incognito outside the Metro Plaza in Washington D.C.

The experiment was conceived by a reporter from the Washington Post, who with hidden cameras recorded that of the hundreds of people who passed by only 7 actually stopped to listen.  The 45 minute performance ended without applause or acknowledgement.  In the rush of the day, there was no time to stop and listen to one of the greatest musicians play some of the finest music on one of the most beautiful instruments.

For us too, Christmas is filled with shopping, cooking, parties, cards, decorating so much so that the greatest message of all, “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given…”  (Isaiah 9:6) can get easily buried beneath the turmoil.  And if that is true for all of us, think what it would be like to be a Pastor with added sermons, worship services, and the increased impact of the needs of the sick, the hurting, the lonely, the poor and lost.

It’s easy to get lost in preparation and never stop to take the time to hear the preciousness of God’s love for each and every one, including Pastors and Called Workers.  Pastors and Called Workers, stop to get recharged and renewed and hear the message of God for you, “for unto you a Child is born, to you a son if given…. and for you too in the midst of your ministry He is “the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.”

I wish you a blessed and Merry Christmas!
Richard Izzard