In the story, The Fire We Can Light, Martin E. Marty related the Jewish Hasidic story of a famous rabbi to illustrate the need for strict observance of the ritual law.
The original master went out to the woods, lighted a fire, and said a paryer when confronted with a great problem.
His successor, a generation later said, "The fire we can no longer light, the place we know, and we can still go and say the prayer."
By the third generation, they said, "The fire we can no longer light, the place we can no longer go, but the prayer we can say." So the master stayed home and said the prayer.
The fourth generation said, "The fire we can no longer light, the place we can no longer go, the prayer we can no longer say, but we can tell the story and that is enough."
As we approach Christmas, there is a great danger that we will content ourselves with just telling the story again. Has Christmas lost its wonder for you? Don't just KNOW Christ this Christmas, SHOW Christ this Christmas.
