On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Now seriously, what good is that? Everyone knows that turkey goes much better than partridge for Christmas dinner!

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, 2 Turtle Doves…

Now come on, if a Partridge is no use, then there is no chance two turtle doves will make the grade!

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, 3 French Hens…

Okay, now we’re getting somewhere – at least you can eat chicken – shame it has to be French!

I give up. Let’s at least sing about what Christmas is about – God sending his son to save his people. Look at what Zechariah sings about the birth of his son, John (who became the Baptist who prepared the way for the Lord Jesus):

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us– to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1:68-79)

It makes me think. What am I singing about this Christmas? If someone watched what I did in the days of December, would they see in my words and actions that Christmas was about God sending his son to save his people?

Our world needs to hear that God redeems through Jesus. That he saves and rescues (even from enemies). That he keeps his promises even if they are long standing. That he enables people to serve him. Our world needs to know that in Jesus there is a greater gift than anything that could be made or bought in the hundreds of catalogues we will receive in the coming weeks.

Friends, do a ‘John the Baptist’ this Christmas – prepare the way for Jesus! Give those around you the knowledge of salvation. Help them see the privilege of the forgiveness of sin, the tender mercy of God, the light in our dark world, and the path of peace.

Please pray, talk, give, share and live the gospel as your best gift this Christmas – so that your families, your neighbours, your work colleagues and the strangers you meet learn to sing with you…

On the first day of Christmas, I gave my life to God and in Jesus I was saved.