True Meaning of Christmas – Special Replay
The commercial aspect of the holidays almost destroys the true meaning of Christmas. In this episode, I want to share an easy way to bring Jesus to the front and center where He belongs!
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The beautiful decorations and lights are uplifting to our spirits and the idea of gift-giving is symbolic of the gift that God gave to us by the birth of His only Son. Yet when we get distracted by all the symbolism that is a time to recall the true meaning of Christmas.
Here are three very easy ways to keep our focus on Christ.
- Take time each day to read John 1
- Spend time with God. Just a few minutes each day.
- Close your eyes and listen.
If you have a journal take some time and write your thoughts. How do you feel? Are you excited or do you lean more toward depressed?
Christmas can be a time of anticipation and excitement but it also tends to be a time of disappointment and depression. Especially if we dwell on the past or on what could have been. Or if our expectations surround materialist things. We feel that we are not doing enough or perhaps can’t afford the things we want. But that shouldn’t be the focus.
Life happens each and every day and we can look at it as what we have or don’t have or we can look at each day as a blessing from God.
Recently two of my friend’s husbands died suddenly of heart attacks. Both were robust and active. Both full of life.
Only God knows the reason for taking them home. Only He knows the time and place when we too will be called home. I think it is especially difficult during the holidays to lose a loved one, but I also know that the Lord is not surprised by any of it. These families need prayer as well as all the families who are saddened or struggling during this time. It is hard to be joyous when we struggle with loss.
That is why the Scriptures are so inspiring. They speak to that part in us that longs for relationships and what better relationship than with God? I want to read part of John 1. This is one of my all-time favorite Scriptures and it is the one I always read at the beginning of Advent – the days leading up to Christmas.
John 1:
In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made.
Just stop and think about these first sentences! The Word – which is Scripture is also God! And the Word was there at the beginning. Imagine! This really helps us to understand and put into perspective the mind-blowing aspect – and that is, God and Jesus are one … it is one of those verses that give us a glimpse of the deeper mysteries of faith. It is also one, that for me is so uplifting it gives me joy and it gives me a deep abiding hope.
And it goes on… In him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
True Meaning of Christmas
Jesus is referred to as the light of the world – the fact that God became man was an act of humility! He came as an infant to save us – to give us eternal life by his life, death, and resurrection. We should rejoice because we know the end of the story – the Scripture tells us, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – the darkness, the evil in this world is uncovered for what it is when you shine the true light – the goodness of God upon it, we find that we, who are called by name can not turn our backs upon what is right and good.
When we feel down when we feel depressed when we don’t feel we want to get out of bed and face the day we have only to look at the Word of God for our inspiration. Write out the words, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” What joy those words give us!
Our focus is not on the glitter or the gift-giving, or even the baking – which I love! The focus is on Almighty God who came as a babe to conquer sin and set us free. Friends, Christianity is a joy! It is not what those who don’t believe say, “Oh. My. Gosh. You Christians are so boring. You have to give up this and that.”
Friends Christianity is freeing because of the joy of knowing that I am living a life without regrets. I am not giving up anything. I am gaining so much.
Think of it this way. In fact, close your eyes for a minute. Imagine a gift that is so amazing – take a few minutes and really think about this gift. What would you do with it? How would you share it?
Now – consider this. God gave us a gift that is so much greater than anything you can imagine! It is 100 thousand times greater. How could I not want to go to church and thank him, and worship Him?
Isaiah 9:6 (read)
How can I not want to live a life that is pleasing to God? How could I not say thank-you Lord, each and every day for the gift of life – yes, but everlasting life? I will live my life on earth but will have full confidence that I will live a life eternally with Him!
This time of joyous celebration that comes around every December reminds me that the real meaning of Christmas is to give all the honor and the glory to Jesus – the Divine One.
Celebrate with your family with your friends but know that the opening of gifts is a small symbol of the greater joy in the gifts that God gave us. This joy of giving gifts to those who are important to us is a symbol of our love for them and their love for us! God gives us an abundance of love and it flows from God – to us to them! Allow the Lord into your life today!
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Let’s Pray:
Dear God the Father, thank-you so much for gifting us with the Son, and then leaving us with the Holy Spirit until the end of time. Thank you for helping me to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Thank you for allowing me to understand that the truth of the season comes in the love that is shared from you to me! Dear Lord Jesus, today I ask you in a deeper way to come into my life. I repent from the sins of the past and ask for your forgiveness. I choose you, my God. I choose you today, and tomorrow. I ask you, Lord, to bless me and cleanse me. I ask that you fill me to overflowing with joy and your love. Help me to sin no more. Help me to follow you in all of the ways that are pleasing to you, my God. Thank you, Lord, for this gift that is more precious than any gift I can imagine. Dear Lord, I ask you know for these specific prayers for those I pray for now…
Thank you, Lord, for hearing my prayers and for answering them and I pray this in Jesus’ precious Name. Amen.
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