Deuteronomy 6:5 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your strength.”

The Little Drummer Boy is one of the more recently written classic carols.  It was originally a Czech song entitled, “Carol of the Drum.”  Translated by Katherine Davis in 1941, and later modified with the help of Henry Simeone and Henry Onorati, it was first performed in 1958.  It made the top 40 list for five years in a row, establishing itself as a well-loved classic.  The repetition of the “rum pum pum” twenty one times makes it  a very rhythmic song to which “the ox and lamb kept time!”

I cannot imagine Mary allowing the drummer to play his drum for Jesus when he asked!  What mother would appreciate such a loud intrusive sound startling her baby?  But I love the sentiment of this song.  The drummer boy is poor and has no gift to bring the newborn King.  Even so he wants to honor Him.  So he uses his talent as a gift, and is rewarded with a smile from the baby Jesus.

Today’s verse encompasses all of what Jesus wants from us today.  He quite simply wants it all;  all of our heart, all of our soul and all of our strength.  There is no other gift more appropriate after everything He has given us!  When we love Him in return with our entire being, it honors Him more than any show of a costly gift.

To give the Lord my all is a life-long challenge.  But every Christmas I am reminded that this is what Jesus did for me when He stooped to earth to redeem me.  How can I hold back anything?  Amid all the gift giving this Christmas, I want to give my all to Him and see His smile.

Lord, may the gift of my heart be pleasing to You.

(Look familiar? This is a repost from 2016)