Christmas feelings are great, but...
We’ve just come back from Thanksgiving, and Christmas is in clear view ahead of us. Good feelings of the Christmas season are great, but we all know that feelings at Christmas aren’t always good. Bad memories, family tensions, money troubles, bad attitudes about gifts given and received, and a host of other difficult and unpleasant feelings seem poised to intrude at Christmas when we’d rather just consider “good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” And the good tidings aren’t candy canes and Santa Claus, however nice those may be.
The very cool and deeply transforming truth amidst the grace and goodness of God is that this reality, rather than the up’s and down’s of feelings, can define our Christmas. What are the “good tidings”? Luke 2 reads: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord…Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'”
The reality of Christmas is that everything has changed. God has chosen to take on flesh and live for a while among us, full of grace and truth (John 1). He’s done it to save us by giving himself for us. Every other religion plots a path for man to work his way closer to God. The Christian affirmation of great joy is that God has made that trek to man.
Meditate on and celebrate and share that truth with your children and extended family and friends and even a few strangers this year at Christmas. Christmas and Easter are all one story, and it’s the story of God’s love for us despite our sin and rebellion. ”While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5)
It really does change everything. The big and the small. The slightly annoying and the deeply painful. Whether the turkey burns, or your marriage is coming apart at the seams. Whether you can’t include the latest gadget in the presents, or you lost your job and can’t see how your family will make it financially. It’s not glib to say that the reality of Christmas speaks of joy and blessing to us, whether we have a cold or cancer.
The saving gift of God in Christ changes everything. Standing secure in that, we’re a lot more likely to experience those good feelings of Christmas along with the reality that can’t be rocked by the good or the bad. Merry Christmas, and may God bless us, every one!