Appreciating Christmas
I wrote and shared this devotion at my MoPs (Moms of Preschoolers) meeting last week, and I thought I'd share it here too, since I share so little on this blog these days.
Christmas used to be my least favorite holiday, so much that I've been called Scrooge. I'd be anxious over gift-giving (which probably started the year I forgot to give a gift to my mom), being at every holiday function, and basically making sure everyone was happy.
I hated Christmas as a whole and justified that dislike by questioning its purpose. Why don’t we celebrate Easter so excessively? Christmas originally was a pagan holiday that the church took over centuries ago. Where does Jesus even say “Remember my birth.”?
These may be legitimate arguments, BUT the birth of Jesus is the only pinpoint in time. We actually measure the years of history before and after His birth. The Old Testament stories all point to Jesus, and the new Testament and our lives today point back to Him. His life and death are both celebrated in Christmas because that was His purpose for coming to Earth.
The turning point for me in my acceptance of Christmas was in our church sermon this Sunday.
Luke 2:13-14 “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.’”
Our pastor said to imagine every angel. The birth of Christ is so important that all the angels showed up to worship God and celebrate.
Christmas is worth celebrating, even in the stress of seasonal expectations. And that’s what they are - expectations we put on ourselves to please people. Will our kids have a good experience? Will my parents be disappointed that we’re spending the holiday with my in-laws? Will my friends be hurt that I can only afford family gifts this year? Will Grandma gently disapprove of my choices in parenting? People are going to have expectations, but I discovered my anxiety came from expectations I put on myself to make the best dish, give the best gift, be at all the events. But not to give God my best.
This holiday is about Jesus. For better or worse, our culture has made it big and excessive. Some parts of that are great, like giving to toy drives and food banks, teaching our children generosity. Other parts are not that great, extra traffic and frenzy at the mall, worrying about entitlement.
Whatever you and I decide to participate in this season, let us calm our hearts and mediate on how we can please God. What does He want of us? Gifts, family, and food will never satisfy the longing of our hearts. Those things will never relieve us of our burdens. We’ll either be left with day-after-Christmas blues or be relieved that the season is over while missing the point.
Are we pointing our kids to Christ? Are we ourselves celebrating the moment that everything changed? The moment that God fulfilled His promise to Abraham, and Jews and Gentiles alike could be grafted into the family of God?
Galatians 10:1 says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Let’s do our best to be servants of Christ during this Christmas season.
Christmas used to be my least favorite holiday, so much that I've been called Scrooge. I'd be anxious over gift-giving (which probably started the year I forgot to give a gift to my mom), being at every holiday function, and basically making sure everyone was happy.
I hated Christmas as a whole and justified that dislike by questioning its purpose. Why don’t we celebrate Easter so excessively? Christmas originally was a pagan holiday that the church took over centuries ago. Where does Jesus even say “Remember my birth.”?
These may be legitimate arguments, BUT the birth of Jesus is the only pinpoint in time. We actually measure the years of history before and after His birth. The Old Testament stories all point to Jesus, and the new Testament and our lives today point back to Him. His life and death are both celebrated in Christmas because that was His purpose for coming to Earth.
The turning point for me in my acceptance of Christmas was in our church sermon this Sunday.
Luke 2:13-14 “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.’”
Our pastor said to imagine every angel. The birth of Christ is so important that all the angels showed up to worship God and celebrate.
Christmas is worth celebrating, even in the stress of seasonal expectations. And that’s what they are - expectations we put on ourselves to please people. Will our kids have a good experience? Will my parents be disappointed that we’re spending the holiday with my in-laws? Will my friends be hurt that I can only afford family gifts this year? Will Grandma gently disapprove of my choices in parenting? People are going to have expectations, but I discovered my anxiety came from expectations I put on myself to make the best dish, give the best gift, be at all the events. But not to give God my best.
This holiday is about Jesus. For better or worse, our culture has made it big and excessive. Some parts of that are great, like giving to toy drives and food banks, teaching our children generosity. Other parts are not that great, extra traffic and frenzy at the mall, worrying about entitlement.
Whatever you and I decide to participate in this season, let us calm our hearts and mediate on how we can please God. What does He want of us? Gifts, family, and food will never satisfy the longing of our hearts. Those things will never relieve us of our burdens. We’ll either be left with day-after-Christmas blues or be relieved that the season is over while missing the point.
Are we pointing our kids to Christ? Are we ourselves celebrating the moment that everything changed? The moment that God fulfilled His promise to Abraham, and Jews and Gentiles alike could be grafted into the family of God?
Galatians 10:1 says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Let’s do our best to be servants of Christ during this Christmas season.
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