"A very special Christmas"

As I return to some semblance of my old everyday routine, I clearly don’t have as time to write these days.  But I have to document how much I am anticipating Christmas this year.  That’s not to suggest that I haven’t anticipated it in years past, but after my recent health crisis brought me closer to the valley of the shadow of death than I ever could have imagined, I am looking at things with fresh, super grateful, eyes.

A song in a Christmas movie I was viewing recently caught my attention.  The song is entitled “This Christmas”; it was written by Tim Kenneth Rogers, and performed by Donny Hathaway.  It was released way back in 1971.  “Fireside is blazing bright,” the song rings.  “We’re caroling through the night and this Christmas will be a very special Christmas for me, yeah.  Shake a hand, shake a hand now; a hand now.  Wish your brother a merry Christmas all over the land.”  I resonate with those words.  This Christmas is going to be a very special Christmas for me.

I love Christmas.  But unfortunately, the beauty of this time of year can easily get lost.  We run around trying to check off our list of treasures to give loved ones.  We attend various Christmas events.  Don’t get me wrong: these activities have their place, but once again, if we aren’t careful we can easily miss the whole point of Christmas in the first place.  Every December 25th, we honor the fact that Jesus Christ, the unique God-man literally entered our world. 

Sometimes we forget that Jesus didn’t actually stay a baby.  He lived a perfect, sinless life.  He orated amazing teachings; He initiated events that could only be classified as miracles.  And then the time came when He shed His blood and died on a cross.  This was all part of the divine plan from the beginning.  In fact, an angel even told Joseph to name this unique baby “Jesus” as He would “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).  Only Jesus, being God in human flesh, could pay the price of humanity’s sin.  What is that price?  The Bible says, “The wages [or the price] of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.”  Three days later, Jesus confirmed His deity by rising from the dead!

Jesus is far from some obscure figure from history to admire at Christmas and Easter.  No, Jesus is the Savior of the world; He is able to completely revolutionize a life today.  I know this because He changed mine!  I promise you, if there’s anything good or virtuous from me, it’s a result of Him living in and through me (see Galatians 2:20).  Furthermore, a relationship with Jesus is not merely about going to Heaven one day – as great a perk as that is – it’s having Someone who will walk you here and now, no matter what wild and crazy storm life may throw at you. 

What if it’s all true?  What if God really did become one of us – in the person of Jesus.  It’s not a fable or a fun story; it’s a historical reality; it’s what Christmas is all about.  I heard a sermon where Greg Laurie put it this way: Christmas is not about the presents under the tree; it’s about His presence in our lives.  What’s more, you can begin a relationship with this Jesus, even now, if you’ve never done so.  The Bible says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Pour out your heart to God in prayer.  Ask Him to give His gift of salvation – the forgiveness of sin – to you; ask Him to enter into your life now and forevermore.  He will do it.  And therefore, to return to the song lyric from the beginning, this Christmas will be “a very special Christmas” for you.

God bless,

Kevin