Jesus is the Reason

The holiday season has started unusually for me this year.  This is my favorite time of year, but I’ve had trouble getting fully focused.  For health reasons, for the first time in my life Thanksgiving came and went without me eating a bite.  Fortunately, my son was already working that day, and our celebration was already planned for the following Sunday.  But it didn’t exactly feel like Thanksgiving! 

Recovering from a surgery that was postponed by the doctor for two weeks also hasn’t helped me to focus solely on the holidays.  I’m still doing exercises and icing when I’d rather be up decorating until I drop.  Being restricted in my activity and out of control of my own schedule isn’t exactly my strong suit!

But I have had more time to think about what should really matter about the holidays – and that is always a good thing.  I’m afraid that what we tend to make Christmas about has very little to do with what God intended us to be celebrating each year.  I’m aware of this every year, and I’ve written about it before.  In fact, I’m not sure I have anything new to add – just things that I need to be reminded of. 

So here is an excerpt from a previous blogpost that still rings true for me, and I hope it also will ring true for you today.  Consider it a free preview of my soon-to-be-published new book that is a collection of several years’ posts!

“Christmas is a busy time of year; but that busyness can have purpose if we allow it to.  Here are some suggestions:

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).  Each time we look at the beautiful Christmas lights, we can remind ourselves about the true light and the difference his light makes in the world.

As we decorate our homes with beautiful Christmas things, we can remember the importance of decorating our own lives on a daily basis with the things that God considers beautiful:  

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”  (Colossians 3:12-14)

And the Christmas tree should remind us of another tree – the one God willingly created and nourished in order to provide a means for the sacrifice of his own Son for our redemption.  Imagine how our focus would change if we saw the cross every time we looked at our Christmas trees!

What about the special foods and the baking?  My ability to enjoy these once-a-year delicacies should lead me to praise God, “who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17), for his constant provision for me.  Too often we overlook God’s role in providing for all of our needs, but Christmas can be a time to shift our focus in this area.

Since my children have not always lived in close proximity to me, spending time with family is an especially important part of this time of the year for me.  But I don’t want to glorify my earthly family over my heavenly Father.  We can choose to enjoy our families in the way God intended – by remembering that they are an earthly picture of the heavenly principle of God’s church and the broader family of believers that we belong to.

It is easy for gift-giving to get out of hand and fail to be God-honoring.  There are probably many different practical approaches to avoiding this (limiting our spending, choosing gifts that are edifying, focusing on giving rather than receiving, etc.).  But the most important thing we can do is to use the giving and receiving of presents as a tool to remember God’s lavish giving of blessings to us – and to cultivate hearts that are truly thankful beyond this season.

I enjoy receiving Christmas cards and letters from those I don’t otherwise see or hear from often.  This year, as the cards arrive, I want to try and focus on the gift of God’s constant messages to me – through his Word as well as the Spirit’s promptings in my life.  Whether we keep in touch with those we know here on earth, our God is always “keeping in touch” with us if we will just listen.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, we are told not to “put out the Spirit’s fire”.  Every time we light a fire in the fireplace this Christmas season, we can remind ourselves of the gift of the Holy Spirit and the flames that he fans in our lives to do what he calls us to do for the kingdom of God.  I am so thankful for his work in my life as comforter, counselor, and guide (see John 16); and I want to remember that when I’m enjoying a fire in my fireplace.

When I think about the warm, cozy feeling I get this time of year, it reminds me of an Old Testament verse that Handel celebrated in his work, The Messiah.  Isaiah 40:11 tells us that God “gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart”.  What could be more warm and cozy than having the ability, whenever we choose, to climb up into God Almighty’s lap because he is our “Abba”, our Father (Galatians 4:6-7)?”

I hope these suggestions help you to be more purposeful during this holiday season, and I hope your Christmas is Christ-centered and joy-filled – even as you enjoy the trappings and traditions of Christmas that don’t necessarily represent our Lord.  Let’s not forget that He alone is worthy of our praise!