It’s that time of the year again, and like most homes, ours is buzzing with excitement with everyone eagerly expectant of the big day. I didn’t get as many Christmas lights out as I would have liked because I’m in the minority when it comes to the number of Christmas lights displayed in my house. I don’t blame them, though! Well, despite the restrictions and lockdown, there’s still some excitement in the air, and we have something to celebrate and look forward to in the next few days.
But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!” Luke 2:10-12 NIV
A different type of Christmas is on the horizon for most people considering the year we’ve had, where we’ve been literally stuck within the four walls of our homes, and the whole world has been turned on its heads. We may not have the freedom and space to engage in our usual Christmas activities with our families and friends. For this reason, I wonder if it’s no longer enough to celebrate Christmas the usual way. Perhaps it’s time to have a different type of Christmas where we make it about what it really is – about the birth of Jesus Christ. The Son of God, coming down in human form through a virgin Mary and His father Joseph, who took care of Him until He became the saviour of the world. He was crucified, He resurrected on the third day and ascended into heaven. After His ascension, God sent down the comforter in the person of the Holy Spirit to empower and help us walk our lives as His children.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever. The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. John 14:16-17 AMP
A different Christmas would mean focussing on what Christ did for us when He was on the earth and what He continues to do for us day in and day out. Just looking back to the beginning of the year, when COVID initially hit, there was so much uncertainty and confusion about the future, as so many lives were lost, we literally lived one day at a time. It seemed like a near impossibility to think about what Christmas would look like this year, but then here we are! God’s grace has kept us, God’s protection has been our portion, God has sustained us, and so I hope you will agree with me that we can’t just have our normal Christmas.
I find it quite fascinating that over the years, the Christmas season seems to come with this sense of financial freedom and liberation. I can hear myself and a countless number of people saying, “it’s Christmas, let me spend”, “it’s Christmas we can buy that”, “it’s Christmas we can spend on that”. How did the focus of Christmas shift from a self-sacrificing Saviour to our self-centred world, where we put our desires on the shopping list and put God’s desires at the bottom of the list or, in some cases, not on the list at all? How did Christmas end up being an overly expensive time of the year when God used all the simplest means to bring His Son into the world?
- I can’t get over the fact that God chose a very humble servant girl to birth the Saviour of the world. The mother of Jesus was from the lowliest place, a little city in Galilee, Nazareth and a humble background as she sang in her song. And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, because he has looked with favour on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed. Luke 1:46-48. What was about Mary that made God choose her out of all the women in the land, and what can we learn from her in this season as we remember the birth of Jesus? A humble woman who was full of faith and trust in God, hmm, I could do with a whole lot of that!
- Mary and Joseph were denied every form of decent accommodation during the most challenging time of their life. Mary was left with no choice but to deliver the Saviour of the world in an animal shelter. When they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary went into labour, and there she gave birth to her firstborn son. After wrapping the newborn baby in strips of cloth, they laid him in a feeding trough since there was no available space in any upper room in the village. Luke 2:6-7. They were turned away from the guest room, which was a comfortable place and would have made Jesus’s arrival into the world more dignified of His calling, but instead, their only option was an animal pen. This blows my mind; why did the Creator of the world send His Son into the world, and there was no room for him to be birthed in? God could have easily conjured up a room, but what was about the manger that was necessary for this Saviour to be birthed there? Jesus, the King of kings, was birthed from humility in the lowliest of places.
- God chose to announce the birth of His Son to shepherds who were guarding their flock of sheep in the night. There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. Luke 2:8-10. Of all the various kinds of people who had filled up the town of Bethlehem for this census (the royals, government officials, the religious leaders), God chose to announce the birth of the Good Shepherd to shepherds. God chose the lowest members of society to share His good news and thereby demonstrating His love for all.
- Three wise men chose to follow a star that will lead them to the newborn King. Jesus was born in Bethlehem near Jerusalem during the reign of King Herod. After Jesus’ birth, a group of spiritual priests from the East came to Jerusalem and inquired of the people, “Where is the child who is born king of the Jewish people? We observed his star rising in the sky, and we’ve come to bow before him in worship.” When they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, they were overcome. Falling to the ground at his feet, they worshipped him. Then they opened their treasure boxes full of gifts and presented him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:1-2,11. These astrologers knew the signs of times and knew about the prophetic declaration by Prophet Micah. But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, you are little to be among the clans of Judah; [yet] out of you shall One come forth for Me Who is to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from ancient days (eternity). Micah 5:2
God used the simplest of means to accomplish His purpose, the high and mighty and the low and lowly, left their all to bow and worshipped this newborn King. Everything surrounding the birth of Jesus symbolised humility, so isn’t it overwhelming how our celebration of our Saviour’s birth has turned into a costly experience? How did the celebration of a humble Saviour turn into a very extravagant occasion? Like the wise men who worshipped Jesus with their most valuable treasures, maybe this season should challenge us to be a blessing to others. The shepherds left their flock, literally leaving their valuables behind in search of the newborn King. What if our Christmas was about worshipping God by being a blessing to the people in our lives?
When Jesus was on earth, He never put Himself first before others; instead, everything He did was done for others. This has challenged me to think that maybe it’s time to change our Christmas and make it resemble Christ by posing ourselves this question: what can I do for others? Jesus said He came to set the captives free, set the oppressed free, heal, and restore. Maybe this is the Christmas where we do what Jesus came to do. This is the Christmas where we don’t make it solely about ourselves, families and friends. Instead, we step out of our boundaries and reach out to other people who have not been as fortunate and as blessed as we are.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me. To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed. Luke 4:18 NKJV
So, I want to challenge you to look at your Christmas differently and not make it all about you and your family but think about who else can be blessed this Christmas through your family. Who can you reach out to and pour love into? Why don’t you take time off your planned Christmas schedule and enrich the lives of people around you who may be struggling? Let this Christmas reflect the love that Jesus has for us, which enabled Him to give up His life. What little can you sacrifice out of your abundance to make life just a little bit comfortable for somebody else? Let’s join with the Christmas carols: Joy to the world! The Lord has come. Let earth receive her King! Let God’s kingdom come into your world through you!
Whilst we are at it, let us bring thanksgiving and gratitude into our Christmas. Let us pause and thank God for how far He has brought us and kept us. Cast your mind back to the beginning of the year, and all the uncertainties and heart-breaking news we have witnessed, it has been His grace that has kept us and sustained us. Let us be intentional about being grateful and having a heart of gratitude and pouring our praises and thanksgiving to God. We should let our children know that everything they have, has been made possible by God’s provision.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:9-11 NLT
God demonstrated His love for us by sending His Son down on earth to save us, woohoo! Your heavenly Father so loves you. I pray that your heart is filled with His overflowing love and joy so that out of that abundance, you can pour into others. May you experience an insatiable joy and peace in this season, and may Christ be the centre of your celebration and let His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven through you, His most beloved child. Amen!
May you be filled with the Fullness of God and the Power of His Love!
