I have had so many things in my heart the past several days and have been praying for a way to put them into words on here. Christmas is just so special of a time - more than presents and lights. So, I will do my best to sort through my thoughts here and pray that they will make sense!
When I first came to know Jesus for myself, I questioned the customs that surround this time of the year. I surely didn't want to follow the traditions of this world if they were not what I should be doing. I truly wanted to be pleasing to God in all that I did.
For instance, I learned that Jesus most likely was NOT born on December 25 and that really bothered me. But when I realized that no one can tell the exact day, I knew that there had to be a day to celebrate such a wondrous occasion and December 25 was as good as any other. God was always telling His people to set aside days to reflect and remember the things that He did for them - these are shown all through the Bible. How much more important is it to remember the birth that changed the world; to have a day in which we reflect and remember that event that forever changed history? Without the birth of that one baby, we would still be living in our sins - He couldn't die for us if He wasn't born. Easter wouldn't be Easter without Christmas.
Next was the tree. What we decided to teach our children from early on is that Jesus died on a tree to save us. His tree was not beautiful as ours is, but what He did for us on that tree is more beautiful than the prettiest decorations that money can buy. We do enjoy the warmth and the memories created while making ornaments, decorating our tree and using it all to tie together what it is that we are celebrating.
Gifts - that was the hardest and the easiest and it still is! I have posted a few thougths about it recently, but came across an interesting perspective the other day that reminded me about the first gifts- Jesus Himself was the first Christmas gift. For God so loved the world that He gave. He gave His son, our Savior, the Word made flesh. The only gift that we have ever needed wrapped in swaddling clothes in the humblest of beginnings.
Then there are the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus. Those gifts each had a significant meaning to them. Gold was a symbol of His royalty, incense was a symbol of His purity and myrrh symbolized His death. They also helped make the way for Jesus to be taken to safety in Egypt when Herod sought to kill Him. God provided through gifts those things needed in His life. They were given to Him by men who only wanted to show their understanding of who He was and their love for Him. When we give gifts knowing who Jesus is, it takes on such a deeper meaning for us as well! We share in that experience all over again when we view it in the right context.
I know that there are many opinions out there on how Christians should or should not celebrate this time of the year. I am not here to debate those issues, only to share where my thoughts have taken me over the years. I truly believe that the most important thing is that, in the midst of the lights, decorations, parties, gifts, etc., that we truly remember what this season is about, WHO this season is about and that He is the center of everything that we do.
Here is something I read recently that sums it up to me. It came from Proverbs 31 ministries:
I wonder, if Jesus were making a holiday preparations list, what would He include? What if those who were there on Christ's birth day could advise us on getting ready for Christmas? What would be on their list?
Joseph might recommend we listen closely to the voice of God to prepare.
Mary may suggest we ponder the miracles of heaven.
Perhaps the angels would propose we sing about the King.
The shepherds may gently guide us to follow their act of worship.
Possibly the wise men would teach us to give Jesus our most valuable gifts.
The innkeeper may suggest "Hospitality: open your heart and home."
And Jesus' list would likely encourage us to be a light on the hill pointing the way for others to know Him.
Comparing my to-do list to the ones above, I wonder if I lived at that time, would I have missed Christ's birth? Would my busyness have kept me from slowing down to take time to worship in the stable? Unfortunately I have "missed" many Christmases in the here and now because I've not slowed down long enough to bow my knees and experience the miracle.
I want Christmas for my family to be more about an act of worship and awe than a frenzy to decorate, shop, and jump through the world's hoops. I don't want to miss the true reason we celebrate.
All that I can say is AMEN. In the midst of and even sometimes in spite of it all, I will purpose in my heart to keep Jesus as the true reason for the season. I pray that you will do the same! I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on all of this and hope you will share with me.
When I first came to know Jesus for myself, I questioned the customs that surround this time of the year. I surely didn't want to follow the traditions of this world if they were not what I should be doing. I truly wanted to be pleasing to God in all that I did.
For instance, I learned that Jesus most likely was NOT born on December 25 and that really bothered me. But when I realized that no one can tell the exact day, I knew that there had to be a day to celebrate such a wondrous occasion and December 25 was as good as any other. God was always telling His people to set aside days to reflect and remember the things that He did for them - these are shown all through the Bible. How much more important is it to remember the birth that changed the world; to have a day in which we reflect and remember that event that forever changed history? Without the birth of that one baby, we would still be living in our sins - He couldn't die for us if He wasn't born. Easter wouldn't be Easter without Christmas.
Next was the tree. What we decided to teach our children from early on is that Jesus died on a tree to save us. His tree was not beautiful as ours is, but what He did for us on that tree is more beautiful than the prettiest decorations that money can buy. We do enjoy the warmth and the memories created while making ornaments, decorating our tree and using it all to tie together what it is that we are celebrating.
Gifts - that was the hardest and the easiest and it still is! I have posted a few thougths about it recently, but came across an interesting perspective the other day that reminded me about the first gifts- Jesus Himself was the first Christmas gift. For God so loved the world that He gave. He gave His son, our Savior, the Word made flesh. The only gift that we have ever needed wrapped in swaddling clothes in the humblest of beginnings.
Then there are the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus. Those gifts each had a significant meaning to them. Gold was a symbol of His royalty, incense was a symbol of His purity and myrrh symbolized His death. They also helped make the way for Jesus to be taken to safety in Egypt when Herod sought to kill Him. God provided through gifts those things needed in His life. They were given to Him by men who only wanted to show their understanding of who He was and their love for Him. When we give gifts knowing who Jesus is, it takes on such a deeper meaning for us as well! We share in that experience all over again when we view it in the right context.
I know that there are many opinions out there on how Christians should or should not celebrate this time of the year. I am not here to debate those issues, only to share where my thoughts have taken me over the years. I truly believe that the most important thing is that, in the midst of the lights, decorations, parties, gifts, etc., that we truly remember what this season is about, WHO this season is about and that He is the center of everything that we do.
Here is something I read recently that sums it up to me. It came from Proverbs 31 ministries:
I wonder, if Jesus were making a holiday preparations list, what would He include? What if those who were there on Christ's birth day could advise us on getting ready for Christmas? What would be on their list?
Joseph might recommend we listen closely to the voice of God to prepare.
Mary may suggest we ponder the miracles of heaven.
Perhaps the angels would propose we sing about the King.
The shepherds may gently guide us to follow their act of worship.
Possibly the wise men would teach us to give Jesus our most valuable gifts.
The innkeeper may suggest "Hospitality: open your heart and home."
And Jesus' list would likely encourage us to be a light on the hill pointing the way for others to know Him.
Comparing my to-do list to the ones above, I wonder if I lived at that time, would I have missed Christ's birth? Would my busyness have kept me from slowing down to take time to worship in the stable? Unfortunately I have "missed" many Christmases in the here and now because I've not slowed down long enough to bow my knees and experience the miracle.
I want Christmas for my family to be more about an act of worship and awe than a frenzy to decorate, shop, and jump through the world's hoops. I don't want to miss the true reason we celebrate.
All that I can say is AMEN. In the midst of and even sometimes in spite of it all, I will purpose in my heart to keep Jesus as the true reason for the season. I pray that you will do the same! I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on all of this and hope you will share with me.
2 comments:
I loved reading this. It summed up my thoughts quite well!
Praise God! I really truly think you should write a book, T! You really know how to express what the Lord lays on your heart so that the reader can soak it in and understand it as well. You could be the next author to lead Christian women to a closer more intimate relationship with Jesus like Sis Joy Haney!:-) I mean it...I love you, Red
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