They Say The Camel Has A Secret
Whenever someone mentions camels I immediately picture the Magi riding into Bethlehem on their camels with their royal gifts for the Christ Child. Camels, however, are not just an ancient means of transportation, they are used and prized today by nomadic tribes traveling in desert and semi-desert areas of the world.
I recently overheard Susan Sutton, our director’s wife, tell a charming folk story concerning the proud-looking camels who supposedly have a religious secret.
We Know What The Camel Knows
By Susan Sutton
My husband, Louis, a medical doctor, and I lived for 13 years on the edge of the Sahara desert working among Muslims in the country of Chad. We saw camels everywhere because there are many nomadic groups in our region. Wherever you see nomads, you’re going to see camels, because nomads love their camels.
One day we had guests in our home—a nomad chief and his friend. They told us something that let us know just how highly nomads think of their camels.
Muslims say that there are 100 names for God, but only 99 names are known to man. (When you see a Muslim reciting his prayers and fingering his beads, he is saying the name of God for each bead.)
The nomads believe that the camel alone knows the 100th name of God. That’s why camels have such a haughty look and always seem to be looking down on us!
As we look through the 99 names of God, many are magnificent and glorious names. As Louis and I thought about it, we realized that we also know what the camel knows. The name of God that is missing was prophesied in the Old Testament and had its fulfillment over 2000 years ago in the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. It’s the name IMMANUEL—God With Us!
Season’s Greetings:
Our dear partners, we send our warmest greetings to everyone of you!
We join our hearts with yours to worship Jesus, our Immanuel, and to praise Him for leaving heaven’s glory to be our Savior. We thank Him for entrusting us, His children, with the commission to teach all nations His precious gospel. And we thank you for your part in helping us to spread the good news through the YOUTH paper.
As you celebrate His birth, meditate on the Christmas message. For your meditation we share this nugget from the Christmas card file:
“A Child was born—a Son was given. And because He was, there is:
an answer to our question;
a solution to our problem;
a hope for our end.
Therefore, rejoice exceedingly in the eternal message of Christmas.”
Worshiping the Christ of Christmas with you,
Hellen Kuleskey & Eloise Patton
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