Real Think Inc.

So, Linda and I were visiting the home show in Milwaukee. I spotted a husband and wife talking with two teen boys selling candy bars for charity purposes.

”Which would you like,” one boy asked. “A Brett Favre one or a Reggie White one?”

“Oh,” said the husband, “I like Reggie White, he’s a preacher and a fine one at that.”

“Yeah, I think he is,” replied one of the boys.”

“It is Christmas season now, isn’t it?” the husband returned.

“Yea, mister, it is, replied one of the boys.

“Well now,” the older man, “Do you know the Christmas song titled ‘Joy to The World? How does it go?”

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come,” began the boys together.

“Yes, yes, that’s it,” the older man exclaimed – has He indeed? He asked them.

“Has he what,” one of the lads asked in return.

“Has He really come?” the old man again asked.

“Well, yeah mister, He came,” the boys indicated.

“How does the song proceed?” the older man asked and then answered his own question quietly singing, “Let earth receive her King” – well now,” the man continued looking into the eyes of two fascinated teens. “You boy seem to me the kind that would not stiff-arm God; am I right?”

“Stiff-arm Him,” they asked.

“Well we either refuse Him or receive Him, boys listen to the next words: the older man repeated:

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come.”
“Let earth receive her King.”
“Let every heart – prepare Him room.”

Have you boys done that? The man asked.

“Not really,” the boys each agreed.

“Well now is a good time don’t you think?” the older man asked, “It’s Christmas time – He’s the reason for this season. He came, He surely did; but we must receive Him and we must not fail to do so.

The boys were with open hearts, listening, not too proud to be honest. The older man continued; “Do you know the next words? Again, He quietly sang them:

“And heaven and nature sing…”

“Boys,” the older man stated, “Heaven sings; that is, Jesus came for you and for me, He is very happy when we choose to receive Him. Do you know what the writer meant when he wrote that both heaven and nature sing? Jesus gave His life for us to receive Him so that His joy and ours can be alike”

“Boys,” the older man asked, “If you would not refuse Him, and if you will receive Him, won’t you do it now? Quietly now, we don’t want to raise a fuss, sing it with me.”

Right there at the Milwaukee Home Show an older man, his wife, and two kids sang:

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come.”
“Let earth receive her king.”
“Let every heart, prepare Him room.”

and then it happened; the older man led the younger two boys in prayer. They received Jesus – forgiveness and all – and heaven and nature sang once more.

Reader, it’s easy to share this hymn with someone at Christmas time– and to ask them if they would reject Him or receive Him, and invite them to receive Him now.

Many people realize that Jesus came into the world and that He spoke and lived like none other. Multitudes of church-goers would never consider rejecting Jesus but have also not been led into personally receiving Him. “He came unto His own,” the Bible reads; but His own received Him not.” We know this is so. Do we know as well that, “As many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become children of God!”
Open your heart to him, he asked. He said this to the church saying, “I stand at the door and knock. If any man will open the door, I will come in to Him and fellowship with Him.” When we do, He does, “And heaven and nature sings- yes, open the door – open the door to Him: receive the gift He gave, of Himself.

Buddy