It sure was a hectic trip!  Bengaluru, Kochi, Kolkata, Aizawl, New Delhi, Jalandhar, and Hapur in about a week’s time. Tiring but it was a blessing. The highlight of the trip was reuniting with my high school buddy after nearly half a century.  A few weeks ago in one of my sermons, I mentioned that Jesus is our friend and friends don’t let friends down.  I told about my high school friend and my many failed attempts to find him.  One of my dear members listening to the sermon noted the name, knew his brother, contacted him and surprised me by giving me my old friend’s contact information.  Many years ago,
I remember mentioning in my sermon that I was not able to find the old Jim Reeves songs which I wanted to give as a gift for my wife as she loves them.  That evening, one of my dear members dropped two Jim Reeves CDs in my mail box.  My daughter looking at it said: “Dad, why don’t you tell in your sermon that you need a convertible Mercedez
Benz and one of your members will get it for you immediately?” So here I go with my Christmas list:  “All I want for Christmas is my Lord.”

Preaching they say is the art of talking in someone else’s sleep. But I am thrilled when some listen and respond.  My friend was a good student. After finishing high school, he was applying for college admission.  However, his father told him that he had six  younger siblings to support and he needed to go to work and found him a job in ITI factory.  He shared with me how bitterly he wept at the thought of not being able to continue his studies and starting work to support his family.  As we reminisced about old times he told me of an incident in 9th grade when he scored the highest in Bible class
— one hundred percent and the teacher shouted at the rest of the class, “All of you should be ashamed of yourselves.  This Hindu boy gets the highest marks in Bible class and what are you Adventists doing?”  And then he shared with me as to how even though he had just a high school education God had destined him to study in a Christian
school.  He shared with me that he practices yoga, two hours every morning and two hours every evening.  And during these hours he meditates on the Bible passages he memorized in high school.  He is still a Hindu but he testified that the Bible is true, and that the words are life indeed.  He started repeating text after text and sharing with me as to how they have helped him in his journey called life.  In some ways it put me to shame, for I must confess that I don’t spend that much time meditating on God’s word.  I long to spend such time alone with God, meditating on His word and the Word that
became flesh, whose birth we celebrate this season.  Have a very blessed Christmas!

Shalom! Shalom!  Franklin David