Tuesday, December 7, 2021
The Gospel According to Scrooge Day 2 - By Eric Adcock
Scrooge is all about work and next to having money it’s all he cares about. On Christmas Eve at his office, He mocks his nephew Fred for speaking good of Christmas and love. Scrooge heads home to stew in his meanness until his old business partners Jacob Marley shows up in ghostly form.
Marley is described as a “good man of business” who has been dead seven years. He has been constantly wandering the earth in the seven years since his death with a desire to do good for the poor and needy, those he had ignored in life, but he is in torment, as he is now unable to help. Scrooge is shaken by the visit and asks Marley for comfort. Marley says he “has none to give” and tells Scrooge will be visited by three other Spirits who will offer him a chance of redemption. It’s the first sign in the story of a hopefulness for Scrooge, a redemption, but He dismisses it.
This looks like our world, doesn’t it? People with the right house, family, car, job, children, looks or talent, seem to lack nothing and can’t see that they need anything, much less redemption. Much like Scrooge we don’t look ahead to what is coming in our lives - the ending. People don’t like talking about the ending very much, and most don’t think about it, but it’s coming for all of us.
Scrooge is about to find out what he lived for may not have been very worthwhile.
Coming tomorrow the Ghost of Christmas Past brings up good memories and sadness all rolled up into one.
Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others, and ignoring God, harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life! Galatians 6:7 The Message
