After spending some time in thought, the man told the rest of the group that he had decided what ornament he was going to get for their tree. He said that it might take him a while to find just the right one, so he would be gone for a while.
Almost an hour later the man returned, and he was carrying a large, heavy rock. The rock was way too heavy to be hung on the branch that they called their Christmas tree, so the man put the rock on the floor beside the tree. The little girl said, “That is an ugly rock!” Her Mom was embarrassed that her daughter had said that, but the man just laughed and said, “I know you are all thinking that same thing, but the rest of you are too polite to say it. Only the little girl said exactly what was on her mind!” The man said that he had searched a long time to find just the right rock for their Christmas celebration. He said that this rock was burnt by the fire, and it looked ugly because of going through the fire. The man then turned the rock over and showed them the bottom of the rock. The bottom of the rock was beautiful! It was speckled with rose-colored specks, gray specks, black specks, and shiny specks!
The man said that he had turned over many rocks to see what the unburnt side looked like and chose this one because of the beauty of the bottom of the rock. The man told them that this is a piece of red granite, and the fire could not destroy it! If he used a stiff-bristle brush, soap, and water, he could clean the ashes and scorch marks off the rest of the rock, and the whole rock would be beautiful! The teenage boy offered to clean the rock for the man, but the man thanked him and said that he did not want the rock to be cleaned. He wanted the rock to keep the marks of the fire!
The man told the group that the Bible often compares God to a rock! He is solid and dependable. We can always trust in Him.
In the Bible in Psalms 62:6-8 it says:
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.
Things that happen in this world cannot change God, just like the fire could not destroy the piece of red granite.
Jesus, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, is fully God and fully human.
In the Bible in Hebrews 13:8 it describes Jesus, and says:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Nothing changes Jesus. No matter how crazy things seem to be in this world, Jesus does not change! We can depend on Him always. Jesus is not content to just live up in heaven and watch us go through the struggles of this life, He sent His Holy Spirit to live inside each believer.
The man told the group that he did not want the scorch marks and ashes cleaned off the rock because he wanted the group to be reminded that God, our rock, goes with us through all the difficulties in this life!
In the Bible in Isaiah 43:1b-3a it says:
Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
God, the majestic, holy creator of the universe chose to send His Son to be born as a baby so that He could live a perfect life and give His life on the cross to pay for our sins. Everyone who believes and accepts His forgiveness has His Holy Spirit living in them and walking every step of this life with them. God did all this because He loves us so much!