In a world bent on taking Christ out of Christmas--a glimpse of Him found early in the season is comforting.

Every morning I travel through a small town called Hemby Bridge and on into Monroe to my resting place for the day as church secretary. Usually, there is nothing new to see, nothing out of the ordinary. However this morning’s journey was quite different. Let me explain.

Yesterday evening I noticed some work crews erecting Christmas decorations at an intersection between work and home and thought nothing of it. This morning as I approached this same intersection,something powerful jumped out at me. Suspended up in the air just beyond the stoplight at the intersection were the words, ‘Merry Christmas’ in big bold red letters.

Something about this message stirred my heart. In a world that is trying so desperately to take Christ out of Christmas, those words hanging there this early in the season momentarily took my breath away. I was thrilled! Are you with me?

I don’t know about you, but for the past few years, I’ve almost dreaded seeing the Christmas shopping season begin, because department stores have begun to cater to the words, ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas.’ This takes the sheer joy right out of the Christmas season. When a store clerk says, ‘Happy Holidays’ to me, it almost makes my skin crawl because I desperately need to hear the words ‘Merry Christmas.’ And as my pastor says, “to some folks, words are just important.”

You see the truth is that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season and if we continue to allow the world to take Christ out of Christmas, where will the joy be for our children and grandchildren? It’s certainly not going to be found in the world.

And so, little town of Hemby Bridge, I for one, commend you wholeheartedly for placing Christ boldly right smack in the center of your town—right where He belongs—for your good and God’s glory!