What do those words mean to you when you hear them? Christmas trees and decorations? Christmas shopping and presents? Family, friends, food? A day off from work? How did you celebrate Christmas yesterday? Are you exhausted today and somewhat glad it’s over? Too often that’s what Christmas has become for most of us. My daughter is in town for the holiday and when she and I were preparing dishes and baking cookies I had the soundtrack from Christmas with the Chosen playing. It was Christmas carols about the birth of Jesus. I was somewhat taken aback when she asked me to put on real Christmas carols. I asked her what she meant by that. Her response was, “Something that wasn’t religious and all about Jesus. Songs that were fun and about Christmas.” My first thought was ‘Where did I go wrong raising her?’ I didn’t say that however. Instead I looked at her and said, “There wouldn’t be Christmas without Jesus.” She looked at me for a minute, I guess letting what I said sink in, and then said, “Ok, but can we have some of the fun songs mixed in?” That I could agree to but it got me thinking, how many people forget what Christmas is all about and apparently one of them was my daughter.
For me, Christmas has always been about Jesus coming into the world, along with everything else, which unfortunately has all too often become what takes up most of my free time and what stresses me out the most while Jesus becomes the backdrop. This year God blessed me with experiencing the true meaning of Christmas. God’s only son, who is also God, gives up everything, his power, his majesty, his all knowing, his very existence which was spirit with no boundaries, to become a helpless baby. He didn’t pretend to be human like so many of the Greek and Roman gods, but truly became human in every way, even needing to wear diapers, learning to walk and talk just like us! Why? Because he and the Father loved us so much that he became human to teach us about the Father and his love for us, and then to die a horrible death to save us. When I thought about it, it took my breath away.
Our God became human so he could experience all that we do so we would know that he understands everything that we go through. In this way he could truly comfort us during our difficult times, including experiencing pain and death. If you haven’t thought much about this in the last couple of weeks, try thinking about it this week and thank him for giving everything up for us. It is truly like one of those sappy Christmas movies. Jesus gave up his whole existence forever for the love of his life, US! Now that’s something to celebrate! Wishing everyone a Blessed and Merry Christmas!
