The Christmas season is upon us! The
Halloween decorations are long gone, Black Friday is over, and stores
have started playing their Christmas music. If you're anything like
me you've probably been in the Christmas spirit for awhile now (how
could I not be, I make eggnog lattes all day long!).
Christmas is such a fun time of year,
with all the music, decorations, family time, Christmas parties,
yummy baking, presents, Christmas concerts, etc. And this fun can
make this a very busy, hectic and full time of year as well. Now
before you throw yourself headfirst into all the merriment, just
pause for a moment... and really think about what we celebrate at
Christmas time.
Yep, it's an easy answer, we celebrate
the birth of our Saviour, Jesus.
I know that over the Christmases past,
I have always acknowledge that 'Jesus is the reason for the season'.
But, I also know that He has not always been the real focus
of my heart at this time of year. With all the things to do, people
to see, gifts to buy, concerts to practice for, Christmas specials to
watch... it can be so easy to push Jesus out of our lives at the very
time of year that is supposed to be all about Him.
A few
weeks ago I was looking through a book catalogue and I saw a book
with an interesting title. It was called 'Christmas is Not Your
Birthday'. And the title struck me as very appropriate for our
culture today. Somewhere along the line we have traded a season that
was meant to celebrate our Saviour's birthday, for a season that's
all about us.
We've stolen Jesus' birthday!
Now we get the
presents, we get the party, we get the attention, and we bring Jesus
into the whole thing through Grandpa doing the mandatory reading of
the Christmas story (which we're not really listening to anyways),
and singing some Christmas carols about baby Jesus. We've pushed
Jesus out of His own birthday.
And I
know I've been guilty of this too in past Christmases. The season
gets so full and busy that quiet time with our Lord and Saviour can
be sparse. But this Christmas let's actually make Jesus the centre
of it all, not just talk about how He is. Let's make Him our number
one priority, and focus on the things that He would have us focus on.
Over
the next few weeks I encourage you to read through the Christmas
story, and then keep reading all the way through to the Resurrection.
Don't just skim through it because you know the story so well, but
really think about what you're reading. The Holy God of the universe
had mercy on us, sinners that deserve death. He loved us SO much
that He sent His only Son to earth to save us, because we can't save
ourselves.
The Christmas story is the most incredible love story ever written, and it actually happened.
May
God give you fresh eyes to see His incredible love for you as you
read the Christmas story this year. And may Jesus be your heart's
desire and your focus this Christmas season.
Join
me in asking God to change my heart's desire to desire more of Jesus,
and less of all of the distractions.
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