Sometimes I get irritated by the commercialization of Christmas and what I call the “holiday creep”. That is the start of holiday marketing beginning a little sooner each year. In fact this was the first year of my 13 year marriage that we had the Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving.
As much as I can be annoyed by these trends, this year I have been profoundly impacted by the expectation of Christmas. I’ve always wondered about the appeal of Christmas to those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ as the risen Son of the God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
I believe the appeal is in the anticipation of things hoped for. People long for the feeling of joy, family, togetherness, gifts and gratitude. Christmas as a holiday certainly has much to offer in this regard with the decorations, lights, foods, smells and celebrations.
Regardless of what Christmas in our time has become an eternal truth remains: There is no peace without the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), there is no light without the Light of the World (John 8:12), there is no real life without the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
This Christmas I pray you get the only gift you truly need; salvation through Jesus Christ.
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