This is an important time of year. A time for us to get together with friends and family. A time when we spend a lot of money buying things for people we like, and sometimes people we don’t like. We put up a tree and decorate it and put presents under it. We hear Christmas songs every where we go, and sometimes even sing a long. On Christmas Eve we even put out milk and cookies for Santa, and maybe some carrots for his reindeer. We are so excited about Santa coming with gifts for us, and we are so interested in what we are going to get.
DOES ANYONE ELSE SEE A PROBLEM WITH THIS??
We have made Christmas about us. When in reality it is not about us at all. Let me say that again, IT IS NOT ABOUT US AT ALL. We have forgotten what Christmas is really about. We sing a song that’s line goes “This is Santa’s big scene.” I have an idea, how about we sing “This is God’s big scene.” That is really what Christmas is about. It is about Christ. It is the day we celebrate the birth of the most important gift we could ever have gotten. The birth of the one that came into this world to save us from death. On this day God gave us all a gift, the greatest gift we could ever receive, his son.
Why is that every year things get worse. Why is it that America is trying to take Christ out of Christmas? We are so worried about someone being offended, did we ever think that maybe we are offending God. How do you think someone would feel if you took a gift that they gave you and you started to put it down, or not appreciate, or even accept it? Now think about how God feels when we take his only son, and his birth that we are supposedly celebrating this time of year, and remove him from his day. Christmas is about Christ. It is about his birth into this world, it is about the gift that was given to us freely and lovingly.
Let’s remember this year that with out Christ there would be no Christmas. Without Christ there would be no life. And with out Christ we would not have the promise that we will live eternally with God in heaven.
Let us go out into the world during this holiday season and remind everyone that it is the birth of Christ we celebrate, not Santa. Santa is a made up person, but Christ is real and he lives. He has a gift to give us that we can accept freely and that is eternal life. And he is happy to give it to us, and he wants to. He wants us to have it so bad that he went to a cross and died for us, then rose again and now lives. HE is the reason for Christmas, not Santa, not presents, not a tree.
This year let us always say Merry Christmas, not happy holidays. Let’s remember Christ in everything we do. As we sit there with our family and friends in our houses with all the food and presents lets also remember what Mary and Joseph didn’t have that night Christ was born and appreciate what we do have. That night Christ was born in a manger, with nothing, the savior of the world was born and couldn’t even get a room in an inn for the night.
Let us thank God for the precious gift that was given to us many years ago and praise him for his unfailing love.
An Ordinary Man 
November 14th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
I liked the comment about, did we ever think we were offending God. There are so many traditions that people and families have at Christmas and you are right, most do not include remembering Jesus. I have to say one of my favorite parts of Christmas is waking to see the children opening their gifts and every year I have been able to see my nieces and nephews open their gifts from Santa. I was upset, because this year every one is in their own home, so Christmas morning will be celebrated at different homes, I was sad that I was going to wake up alone, however now that I think about it, I can wake up, make a cup of my favorite coffee, and sit and celebrate Jesus’ birth with Him…I bet it will be much more special than I ever imagined. I also liked what you said about remembering how Mary and Joseph did not have anything on that 1st Christmas morning. I like the verse in the Bible that says…Mary treasured these things in her heart. Every year we take pictures with video and still, so we can remember the moment, Mary did not have a camera to remember the special moments with her son, so she treasured those moments in her heart, where they would be safe and where no one or nothing could take them away! Thank you for your post and the simple reminder of the upcoming celebration for our Savior! I always love to read what God speaks through you, it is truly a blessing!
November 16th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Me again…During my devotion I read a story that reminded me of your blog…so I wanted to share it with you!
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. (She would be remembering the heart of Christmas..why we celebrate…sitting at his feet thanking Him for his coming) Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made (buying and wrapping gifts, preparing for guests or to travel, putting up lights and decorations, preparing the meal) Martha came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Chad you asked, “Do you ever think God is offended?” By what Jesus says next I think He is. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” It is sad how Christmas is one of the high stress seasons of the year, and those who do not know Jesus will never understand how special the season is. Our lives are so full every day and when you had holiday madness to it, its easy to forget. The emotions of sadness, anger, offence were all given to us by Jesus, so its safe to say he too is sad, offended and Angry by how the holidays are celebrated.
I do not think there is anything wrong with family traditions or giving to others, or even decorating…in these things we can give honor and remembrance to Jesus and why He came. I hope this year will be the most special, because I sat at His feet and loved as he loves me!