A Time for Celebrating

If you’re anything like me then you have made your way through this season of Advent wrestling with a desire to feel more ‘festive’ (whatever that means!) than you have at times; but at the same time with a determination not to simply allow the societal pressure to shape you, but rather to allow the biblical narrative and Jesus Himself to be your key influencers – as well as remembering the fact that for so many, including the families I’ve had contact with this Advent through a Give a Day Christmas project I was involved in, the societal norm is far from their reality.

And so it might seem at times as if I’m anti-celebration at this time; but I’m really not: how could we not celebrate something as spectacular as God Himself becoming man to enact His love-driven rescue plan for humanity and the entire creation?

Because all of history is God’s story: Jesus’ journey to the cross started before the world was even created. And yet as we approach Christmas we see that story ramping up a notch: the plan that had been in place and predicted in advance was now really gathering speed; and as it was once put: ‘the hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable door.’ And this is something to celebrate.

And so as we move into Christmas I pray that we will all be able to rejoice in the fact that we are not left to deal with life ourselves; that God was and is Immanuel; and that the baby in the Bethlehem manger, cheesy as it may sound, truly is the greatest gift we could ever receive or play a part in giving.

May your Christmas be a time of receiving and giving His love; a time of celebrating unashamedly His redemption plan; and a time of seeing Jesus as He truly is.

Celebrate well: because He is worth it…