Christmas – All year round!
Christmas all Year Round
Every year, signs of Christmas seem to appear even earlier. As I was shopping for groceries last week, I noticed that already the shelves were beginning to show goods that usually only appear for Christmas, and it made me wonder why. The world is general is becoming more godless and yet, they seem to want to celebrate Christmas for at least a few months of the year. Is it because the preparatory time is more exciting than the actual event? Or could it be that lives are so empty for much of the year that they want to think earlier on Christmas time? In these days of rising costs, do people need more time to get organized?
Whatever the reason, on the whole people have less idea of why we celebrate, and who is the main person for the season. Many will celebrate Christmas without as much as a thought of who the baby really is/was.
As we interact, we can ask the same question of ourselves that Jesus asked off his disciples, ‘But what about you, who do you say that I am?’
We can ask the question of others too and let them know that He is as Peter replied, ‘ The Messiah, the Son of God!’
Yes, Jesus could have come to earth as a King to rule the world, instead at that time, He came as a baby to save the world! An unlikely place, a humble place and a manger as the only available bed. It was foretold in Isaiah 42 that ‘He would not shout, or cry out or raise His voice in the streets. A bruised reed he would not break, nor a smoking flax would he quench’. He came meekly [not weakly], but so unassuming to draw us gently to Himself and offer us peace and eternal life! That peace and forgiveness is thankfully, still available to us all, if we want to live with our sins forgiven.
On a recent visit to the synagogue at Berea, we talked with an older man who had been born a few doors from the synagogue. He told us that an Orthodox Priest had taken in him and his mother when the Nazi’s were rounding up all the Jews for extermination, and had looked after them. It was thanks to his family that they had survived the holocaust.
The bravery of many in these days reminds us of Queen Esther in the Bible. She chose at her cousin’s urging not to hide her identity, but to entreat the King on behalf of the Jews in spite of the danger to herself.
Maybe we don’t have to take such a drastic stance, but are we willing to speak out against the injustices to Christians in other lands, or do we try to help our brothers/sisters in need. Countries like Ukraine, Sudan and Israel have had internal war this year, we need to reach as many of them as possible with the Gospel message.
We, who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus, live in God’s Story all year round, not just at Christmas time. There is a central plot. God created the human race, we fell into sin, only a blood sacrifice could restore us to God, God sent His son Jesus to die to save us. He rose again from the dead and we are waiting for His return.
Now, that we know the background story and the future events, how should we live? We turn from sin by God’s power and love others enough to tell them the story too!!
Let’s comfort, guide and help those along the way who need to know His Love and the Reason why He came!! That way we can really celebrate Christmas all year round!