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For me the question is this: does Christmas intersect with our lives? Does Christmas mean anything today?
Some people say "Happy Holidays." Is it about a holiday? …a few days off work, a big meal, some time with people you love? Some people say "Ho, Ho, Ho!" Is it about the presents - hopefully lots and lots of presents. Good things. But not what it all comes down to. Is that what we mean when we say "Merry Christmas?" Does “Merry Christmas” mean anything any more? Because Christmas is meant to be the acknowledgement and celebration of the truth that the God of the Universe came down to us in the person of Jesus to give us life. And Merry Christmas isn’t about the holiday, but its about something much bigger, much deeper.
God looked at all the things we want - we want a good career and we want a nice family and we want a warm home and we want to be recognized and appreciated. There are lots of things we want. And God looked at all of those…and he didn’t give those to us. Instead of giving us what we want, he gives us what we need. God looks at our wants and says, ‘But the one thing they need, the one thing they truly, truly need, is to be whole, to live, to have life.’ God wants for us to be healed, made whole and complete and have life as he designed us to live it.
God never wanted you to live in fear. God never intended for you to face rejection alone. It has never been God’s plan that addictions would rule your life or that the weaknesses of giving in to temptations would grip you. God knows what you need - and its him. And so the one thing we needed, the one thing we truly need is the one thing God gives - himself. And so God took on the form of flesh, and was born as a baby, born to Mary and Joseph. And he came to heal and offer life. He came to lead us back in to a reconciled relationship with the God who created us - the one thing that is necessary for our healing, necessary for us to have life. God came down - as a gift - as Jesus - to bring us life. What else is there to say, except “Merry Christmas”.
God never wanted you to live in fear. God never intended for you to face rejection alone. It has never been God’s plan that addictions would rule your life or that the weaknesses of giving in to temptations would grip you. God knows what you need - and its him. And so the one thing we needed, the one thing we truly need is the one thing God gives - himself. And so God took on the form of flesh, and was born as a baby, born to Mary and Joseph. And he came to heal and offer life. He came to lead us back in to a reconciled relationship with the God who created us - the one thing that is necessary for our healing, necessary for us to have life. God came down - as a gift - as Jesus - to bring us life. What else is there to say, except “Merry Christmas”.
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