Month: December 2023

Dreaming of a Hallmark Christmas? Fantasizing about going into the woods behind your condo for that giant 15’ Spruce tree they always seem to chop down and when it gets set up at home it’s barely 6’ tall? Are you yearning for a blizzard to blanket your little town? It’s all great to have if you’ve done all your shopping and you have nowhere to go, or any dead-ends to meet. Personally, I love the green and red colors of the season, along with garland, colored string-beads, trinkets, and all the trimmings that make a tree feel and look like Christmas.
But in all it’s beauty, it doesn’t compare to the significance of the true Christmas. Yeah, yeah, true Christmas is so different from secular Christmas. One has all the pomp and glory with colors galore and snow-covered grounds, as well as toys, candies, games, etc. while the other is unattractive with suffering, waiting, injustice, persecution, even death. While one fulfills our joys and expectations for the moment, the other, the less attractive one, fulfills our deepest needs for all eternity. It is, the true Christmas; the real thing. It’s about the God who lived amongst us and experienced our struggles. Although people point fingers at Him and accuse of abandoning us, He is NOT out of touch. He knows the deal.

One Christmas features Santa in red and white descending from near heaven; the North Pole. The other, features God born of a virgin as a baby having laid aside His riches (in actual heaven) to live in poverty here that we might gain His riches when we serve Him. No, there may not be snow on the ground when you invite Him into your heart, except maybe a cold, brittle, and/or bitter heart. And no, there won’t be any magic making all your dreams come true, but knowing you’re loved unconditionally by Him, supersedes it all. The red of the true Christmas reflects His blood shed at the cross for you. White represents ridding your life of sin (Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow-Isaiah 1:18).
While here on earth we might not have a Hallmark Christmas, or a 15’ Spruce, but with Christ in our hearts, life in heaven will out-do every earthly Christmas ever celebrated.
“Now unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17).
Merry Christmas!
Sam

Carol King sang, “Anticipation, is making me wait…”

We all know anticipating an event.  We wait endlessly for a call.  We skip the bathroom, and other important tasks just waiting for it.  Step out for 30 secs, and we miss it!

Right now, anticipation is in the air.  It brings an air of excitement.  It brings the thrill of wonder.  Christmas, with its snow and frost, and wonderful colors of red and green gladdens the heart.  The yearning of gifts under a tree, is enough to keep anyone up all night.  Waiting for Santa’s arrival adds to the suspense.  It’s a fact, anticipation can cause us to miss the special moments of Christmas.  We run here, we run there, back and forth.  We remember those we’ve forgotten, and back out again we go. We’re awaiting it, yet, it’s possible to over-decorate, over-shop, over-wrap, over-plan, over-eat, even get overweight, and miss God.

    Israel has long awaited the birth of the Messiah…they performed the rituals, kept the law, read the Holy Scriptures, sacrificed their blameless lambs…and they missed it.  Their “Christmas” came upon their midnight clear, but they were too busy to even notice it.  One can say they were blinded by the “snow” of their darkened minds. In their efforts to get it right, they missed it, “…because you did not know the hour of your visitation” (Luke 19:44).

In a stable, in a manger He was born, and it was witnessed only by some poor shepherds after its announcement was made by angels.  Israel wasn’t the only ones who missed it. The entire world did too.

And so will many others this year.  Don’t be one of them! How?  As the day grows closer, keep your focus on the real reason of what you’re celebrating.  If it’s Santa you anticipate, you’ll fulfill the secular season’s quota.  But if you want to thank God for the true meaning of Christmas, and for giving you His Son, then acknowledge Him and bring Him honor by “gift-wrapping” your life and presenting it to Him.  He already laid His on the tree for you.  That’s His gift to you: Salvation.

Merry Christmas!

God Bless!

Sam

Throughout so many movies, people that are hurt or upset at a situation, generally decide to cancel Christmas. They’ll want nothing to do with it. Even in real life people cancel it. What they’re canceling in reality, isn’t Christmas at all, but a segment of it. They’re canceling, or not celebrating, the festive colors, the merriment of activities shared with others; They’re canceling what they call The Magic of Christmas. But Christmas is much more than that. It’s what seldom gets mentioned on TV, in movies, and in songs.
One cannot cancel the birth of Christ. You can’t undo the deliverance of God-in-the-flesh to humanity. Granted, no one knows exactly when He was born, but since Dec. 25 is the chosen date for it, then that’s the day we honor His birth. True, He was born into poverty, and I doubt festive colors were all the rage at the time. Nevertheless, there’s no reason why not to celebrate the greatest gift in all of history.
In fact, the opposite holds true. When we’re hurting, depressed, stressed, or when things aren’t going our way, that’s when we need to celebrate the birth of Christ all the more. Jesus came to a hurting world. He came when things were in chaos. God came down to visit humanity as people were living in impoverished conditions.
He came to bring hope and healing to a desperate and broken world. The Great Almighty lowered Himself leaving behind His riches and glory to relate to His hurting people-everyone. God knows what life on earth is like. He lived here. He walked among the people and ate with them. He laid aside His powers so He could feel hunger, cold, pain, discomfort, rejection, loneliness, sadness, and joy.
That’s why you can’t afford to miss Christmas! He understands all your sorrows, all your hurt and pain. He knows your grief. He stands by your side like a gift waiting to be open; like a sweater waiting to be worn, like a scarf waiting to embrace you. Acknowledge your situations and welcome Jesus not only to your home, but into your heart as well. He’ll bring the merriment of colors into your life; the sweetness of candies into your spirit, and warmth to your aching heart. Unwrap the Gift under your tree.
This Christmas, don’t cancel Christmas; instead, renew your subscription!
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2,3)
Merry Christmas!
Sam