In this season we are all enveloped by the spirit of festivity. There is no escape from the marketing pitch by companies wanting to get us the perfect gift, the constant stream of holiday music, invitations for Christmas events - within the Church/Fellowships and at work. Listening to the group which says "Get Christ back into Christmas", you are convinced that they are right and feel unhappy at the barrage of activity aimed at eliminating the word Christmas, to be replaced by Holidays. And of course, you are under pressure to get the gifts for your family, for the teachers/bus drivers of your kid's school, send cards ..I am lousy at this !!
But have you asked yourself what Christmas means to you? Is it the festivity? nothing bad about this.. the gifts? hmm not sure if you foot the bill etc etc. Well it may mean depending on who you are. To a child, it may mean Santa, gifts, the tree. To a youngster, it may mean gifts (again), fun with friends. To an adult, it may mean food, pressures of the season. But whoever you are friend, somethings don't change. Let us go down memory lane back to 2000 years ago, and try to see what changed?
Sometime between Spring and the first rains falling in October, in Judea, a child was born to Mary in Bethlehem. You know the story. Mary, a virgin is chosen by God to deliver a son, named Yeshua who is God becoming a human to be one of us. I am not going to go into the Christmas story in the gospels. But instead let us look at the conditions then. It was a crowded place in Bethlehem. Due to the edict of Caesar, Bethlehem was packed with people -- just like the shopping malls now. Mary and Joseph could not get a place to stay, just like you cant find a parking spot. Everyone were busy enough not to pay attention to a fully pregnant woman and her husband. Life's too busy to slow down. Too many things to do, attend. And then the baby is born. But then the angels appear to the shepherds and tell them about the baby. They go seeking the baby. Now why do the do this? Are'nt they supposed to stay with the sheep and keep watch over them. So they neglect their duty, and decide to check out the mystery that was revealed to them. I am pretty sure they were shell shocked with all the angel thing, that they were overwhelmed, but chose to seek the mystery. Would we do that? Say an angel appeared to you and told you some good news, and then an angelic host appears glorifying God, what will be your reaction?
Well, Mary and Joseph did not have an easy time in Bethlehem. Finding a spot to rest was hard. Nothing was conducive. Sounds familiar? Jesus, even then was not welcome into this world. The prince of this world was indeed hard at work, making it hard and difficult. And then Herod felt threatened by the news of the birth of the King of Jews, and decided to take action. Kill all male children up to the age of 2. Sounds like, lets get rid of Christ in Christmas. But what happened? Jesus grew to be the man He was to be. He died, conquered death, and rose again. He completed what was necessary. He gave/gives His Spirit to all who repent and accept Him as their Savoir who took the punishment that is due on them, and gave eternal life.
But since that time, all out effort is underway to replace Jesus by things like Santa, tree, mistletoe etc etc. But does this change anything? no- because God reigns, and His will is being implemented. If you know His will and are sure that you have the Spirit of God in you, then you are sure about the outcome, your's and God's. Oh there are times of doubt, because the prince of this world is a master counterfeiter that he will scam you. But get back to rest on God, trust in His Spirit to hold you, get you up. Friend - Jesus said don't worry, so much that you are paralyzed with fear. You see, fear is a beast that will cause you to freeze if you allow it to get under your skin. This is up to you. You need to decide whether you trust in God, Who has finished doing all and is Victorious and is offering everything to you to be victorious. Or do you want to be bothered by all the distractions that you worry and get busy so much that you forget that , Jesus has already won the victory and is offering you the peace and joy for your spiritual self?
Do you want that peace and joy? Jesus said - Seek the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. He said, I am the Way, the Truth and Life.
May you have the peace and joy in your heart given as a gift from Jesus.
Happy Christmas.
