Merry Christmas to all my friends and family back in the States! (a tad late) and Happy New Year!
Christmas was different this year. I’m in Quito, Ecuador. I’m away from my family, but surrounded by the people of J squad that have become my family this year. I didn’t mess around with cousins all day on Christmas Eve, or sing “Twelve Days of Christmas” with the whole family while feasting on desserts, or stay up late wrapping gifts. While I was thankfully able to Skype my family on Christmas Day and while the squad did manage to cook some awesome food, Christmas wasn’t all about family, food, presents, and traditions this year.
Instead of the hustle and bustle of finalizing presents and planning endless get-togethers, I rested in my pajamas all day Christmas Eve. There was no obligation to go to Christmas Eve service, but instead a desire as a squad to have our own squad-run 11 pm service, a desire to come together to worship, read the Christmas story, and listen to our very own squadmate preach a message. Instead of running down to find presents first thing in morning, I started Christmas Day spending time with the Lord…listening to worship music, praying, and reading the Bible. I was able to actually be still and acknowledge Jesus, without the distraction of overflowing stockings, family schedules, or exciting pile of gifts to open.
However, it didn’t feel like Christmas. Unfortunately, what often makes Christmas what it is are the family gatherings, the pulling out surprises from our hanging stockings, the huge pile of gifts under the tree, the lights on the house, the jokes about Santa coming, the anticipation of what new things we’re going to get, the trays of Christmas cookies, the ugly sweater christmas parties, and the list goes on. It didn’t feel like Christmas this year because the Christmas I have become so accustomed to was based on activities that often distract me from the meaning of Christmas.
Where is Jesus?
I love all of those things–do not get me wrong. We even did our best to make our guesthouse here as Christmas-y as possible. But where in the busy preparations and family traditions do we stop to think about the reason for this holiday?
Why do we get more excited about what we are going to get than about the greatest gift ever given, Jesus himself? We do we focus more on what gifts Santa is bringing instead of on what the angel brought years ago-the news about our Savior being born?
We sing the words “Oh come, let us adore Him”… but do we?
We sing “Away in a Manger”, but then act like we have no room in our own inn for Jesus.
Not only do we have an all-powerful, all-knowing, holy, big God to worship, but we have a God that came down to our level, a God that entered this world as a tiny, snotty, messy, crying baby. We have a God who walked this earth and who was tempted and rejected, like we often feel. We have God who befriended the outcasts and loved the unloved. We have a God who we can relate to. We have a God who pursues us and who wants a personal relationship with us. We have a God that came down to us, our Savior born in a manger. And that’s what Christmas is all about.
This Christmas season, and every other day of the year, let’s give Jesus our heart. Let’s love others out of the love He first showed us. Let’s adore Him and pursue Him. and let’s make sure we not only just make room for Him, but we make Him the focus.
