"Merry Christmas", "Keep the Christ in CHRISTmas", "Happy Holidays", "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night", "Jesus is the reason for the season", "Have a great Christmas"… ahh, the joys of many warm Christmas wishes and the over-abundance of cute sayings.
I have challenge for everyone, and this includes myself. In fact, this blog is more of a pep-talk to myself than a challenge for you, but if you get something out of it, too, great!
On Christmas, while you will hear a ton of cheery greetings, remember that Mary and Joseph received more persecution than they ever had in their lives (can you imagine trying to tell your friends about your pregnant fiance, but that is wasn't by you or any other man, and that you were going to stay with her?). While you will get to see most of your family and stay warm, remember that Mary and Joseph were all alone in a cold stable having a baby with no one around to celebrate with them. While you will acquire many gifts, remember that Mary and Joseph acquired nothing but a beautiful baby boy, and He was more than enough for them.
And while you will be in the best, most joyful mood today… except when the kids act up and you get a bad gift and you have a lot of driving to do and you don't like your nephew's girlfriend and your little brother is bothering you and you mess up the ham and… okay, scratch the good mood one. Actually, you will probably be so annoyed and exhausted by the end of the day that you won't care if Christmas never comes again! Well, remember that Mary and Joseph were the happiest they'd ever been in their lives — Jesus had come and everything they had gone through was worth it!
The challenge and the whole point of this pep-talk to myself is this: remember Jesus today. A soon-to-be teammate made a cool point yesterday, that our generation cares more about causes than about the gospel. At first, I thought she was wrong. Then, I noticed that I get more excited hearing about girls getting free from sexual slavery than I get about Christmas. You know why? Christmas comes every year; it's not holy or beautiful to me anymore.
But today, I want to remind myself (and as many people as I can), that Christmas is holy and beautiful and a cause for joy and EXCITING!
Salvation is here! I am saved from worthlessness, sin, and death because of Him! My cause for living is here! He is my Rock, my Hope, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Joy… He is EVERYTHING! He is the way, the truth, and the life! He is abundant life, grace, and mercy! He is my God, He is love, and He is HERE!
Please take a little time, get yourself excited about Christmas, and ask God what you can do for Him today. Maybe even take the time to give someone the greatest gift: help them enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
God, thank you for Christmas; thank you for giving us Jesus, for giving us the cause to live for, for giving us salvation and life. Thank you for sacrificing so that we can live. God, I pray that this Christmas would be different. Rather than remembering gifts and food, we would remember what your Spirit did in us and others. I pray God that I could reach out to my family, and that Christians all over would see Christmas as a great opportunity rather than a great bother. God, expand my horizons this Christmas. Please improve my character, give me an opportunity to share you, and help me to keep my eyes on you. I pray this for all my friends and family, as well. I love you, God. You are amazing and so incredible. I can't get enough of you. Thank you that I am yours and you are mine. Thank you that no one can take you away from me. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.
