Christmas Not Just A Holiday

Why do we celebrate Christmas?  Why not just settle for a winter holiday of Santa and snow and parties and gifts?

We celebrate Christmas because it reminds us that God allowed His son to come to earth to fulfill His plan of salvation for sinful, suffering, and broken human beings. Jesus willingly left heaven to come to earth in order that He might reconcile us to God through His death and resurrection.  He set aside all His rights in the Heavenly Kingdom to take on human flesh and live on earth as an obedient servant to the living God.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 NLT)

We celebrate Christmas to remember God’s amazing gift of forgiveness, comfort, acceptance, and tenderness.  Our desire is to live as persons of integrity within our families, in our work relationships and in our friendships but often we fail to do so.  However, if we listen to, and obey God’s word as recorded in the Bible, He will give us guidance and direction in all we say and do and we will strengthen our relationship with Him.  Other relationships will benefit as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus.  Jesus forgave even those who crucified Him. When we realize how much we have been forgiven, we will purposefully choose not to withhold our forgiveness of others. The birth of Jesus truly was the dawn of redeeming grace for mankind.

God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him.  When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start.  Now I’m alert to God’s ways; I don’t take God for granted. Every day I review the ways he works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I’m watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes. (Psalm 18:20-24 MSG)

There’s no lasting joy, no secure peace, no real hope for enduring relationships when we try to have Christmas without Jesus.  As the slogan says, “Jesus is the reason for the season” and He truly is the reason for every other season of our lives.

©2015 Partners in Hope