Christmas has always been a special time for me. In my family, giving gifts and opening presents on Christmas morning was our greatest tradition, along with getting the tree, hanging decorations, and setting up the Nativity Scene. Although we talked about Santa and his reindeer delivering packages on Christmas Eve, I always knew it was my parents who bought the gifts and that Jesus was the true reason for the season. Traditions, gifts, a family dinner: these were the things we did to celebrate. But the story of Jesus coming to earth as a baby, being born in a stable, and lying in a manger wasn't lost in the shuffle. We remembered, we sang carols, we participated in the church programs, and we gave gifts as a reminder of the Three Wisemen who brought gifts to the Baby Jesus.
I still do those things now that I'm older. I visit my family at Christmas, and we exchange gifts and have a Christmas Feast. I celebrate at home with my husband and children with the traditions we have kept over the years. It's still about giving gifts, decorating the house, putting up the tree, Santa and his reindeer, and the Baby Jesus born in Bethlehem. But that aspect has changed a bit for me. It's not just about Jesus being in the manger, but more about what He was doing there. Why He came and what that means for me today.
Jesus was God's gift of love to the world. He brought redemption, forgiveness, and peace. Jesus did a lot more than give us a reason to have a fun holiday. He gave us a reason to live. To love. To experience joy. To find meaning in times of sorrow. To have hope in a world filled with sin, lawlessness, heartbreak, and tragedy. I have a friend who is undergoing cancer treatment right now. She was diagnosed at the beginning of December, and at first I thought, 'What a horrible time of year to face such an illness.' But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it's actually the best time to face cancer if she has to. Christmas is all about hope. Hope for this life, and hope for the life to come. We are never alone. We are loved. God cares about our needs and desires and hopes for the future. Jesus is about all of that and more.
To me, Christmas is about life. My life today, tomorrow, and always. Similarly, it's about your life and where Jesus is leading you. What He is teaching you. What He can give you. The peace, the joy, the love He wants to fill your heart with, no matter the time of year or your circumstances. Just look to Jesus and remember, you are loved.
To us a child is born, to us a son is given…and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Photo Credit: "Gerard van Honthorst 001" by Gerard van Honthorst - The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN 3936122202. Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gerard_van_Honthorst_001.jpg#/media/File:Gerard_van_Honthorst_001.jpg
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