Some Sing “No Elk…”
Sung to the tune of Noel
It’s a fun family tradition on Sunday evening at church to build a mounding platter of nachos for our shared meal. After communion, a few of us race to the kitchen, load a silver platter full of chips topped with taco-seasoned meat, cheese, olives, avocado, Tex-Mex, and (don’t judge) pineapple. It’s my weekly joy to carry the heaping platter to the serving table. The kitchen coordinators don’t even let people go through the line until the nachos arrive.
So, imagine my dismay to begin the assembly process last Sunday, only to discover I’d left the instant pot full of meat at home. What will I serve? Chips with cheese and some peripheral toppings? Ugh…
I can just hear my husband, David, singing “No Elk, no elk…”
I couldn’t believe my oversight, mostly because our hunters had just brought in a bounty of Elk the week before. This was my opportunity to bless our church community with our score. The Lord had provided us with five elk, and here I stood, serving a vegetarian meal. As I microwaved chips with cheese, not at all our norm, it came to me how this substance-less entree I was about to offer was akin to what it would be like to serve Christmas without Christ.
The lesson roiled through my brain. No room in the Inn. No substance for the hungry hearts of Jesus’ day or ours. It soon turned into an earnest prayer:
“Lord, help me serve the life-changing substance of You at our gatherings.”
- The pure joy of knowing You
- The confidence that comes from Your acceptance, of being your child
- The peace You consistently bring, even in the toughest of circumstances
- The love You willingly poured out for us, on the cross
- The fact that You daily intercede for us before the Father
- The hope we now have of eternity with You
Pure, holy, awesome, tangible love! That’s worth serving to our loved ones, isn’t it?
May you be more prepared than I was last Sunday. More aware. Less distracted. Committed to serving the substance of Christ to the hungry souls around you. May Christ’s name be lifted high this Christmas in all our gatherings and celebrations.
He is worthy!
I’d love to hear some of your family’s traditions of how you center on Christ in your holiday reverie. Please write to share. It could add new meaning to our celebration.
2 Corinthians 8:9: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
- Luke 1:14: “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:15: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
- Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
For the Generation that seeks Him,
Melinda Poling
P.S. Some of you may be asking:
Which of your crew got elk this year? So for the curious ones of you—
Gideon, Levi, Bethany, David, and Micah (in that order). So grateful!!!
Once again you’ve nailed it, Melinda! I love how you weave illustrations of life into spiritual lessons for us all. This is so good!