Wednesday, December 8, 2021
The Gospel according to Scrooge Day 3 By Eric Adcock
Scrooge visits his past, present and future, but gets sadder and more hopeless. Left at school by his family, putting his work before everything, losing the love of his life and seeing his own funeral with no one to say a kind word about his passing. But then he is transformed, not just changed, but transformed.
What a picture of the hope and power Jesus Christ can do in a person. He is moved to help Bob Cratchet’s family and Dickens describes him after the ghostly visits: “He became as good as friend, as good as master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew." Dickens certainly understood what real changed looked like.
I love the fact that Scrooge’s nephew Fred never gave up loving his uncle and being hopeful he would be changed one day. Upon arriving at Fred house on Christmas Day a repentant Scrooge says:
Scrooge: Fred? I-It's I. It's your Uncle Scrooge. I've come to dinner... will you have me, Fred?
Fred: Bless my soul! Have you? Of course we'll have you!
Scrooge: And you, my dear? Can you forgive a stupid old man who doesn't want to be left out in the cold anymore? Will you take me in?
Emily: Oh... Merry Christmas, Uncle!
That’s sounds just like Jesus. “Come on back I’m still here and you matter to me.” Got a family member you haven’t talk to in a while? Maybe one that wronged you? A friend you’re at odds with? Are you mad about the political climate in our country and “them” you disagree with and can’t stand? Hate your job? Hate your boss? Hate yourself? Jesus has not forgotten you or missed you. No matter what, He is still in the business of changing lives.
Dickens knew the real thing in this story, and I would guess he had seen it somewhere. As Believers and Followers of Jesus our trust is in something beyond us, greater than us, and more powerful than us, and anything else we will ever face.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2nd Corinthians 5:17
God Bless Us Everyone.
