Reflections of Christmas

“This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 RSV).

      Why is Christmas so wonderful that nearly everyone loves it?  Even unbelievers get together with family, decorate a tree, put lights on their houses, and enjoy the music. Christians celebrate the day because of the joy that Jesus, the Son of God, has come to earth to give us the message that God loves us, and to prove it by dying on the cross to rescue us. The word, Christmas, can stand for the truth that Christ- Made A Sacrifice. It probably wasn’t easy for Jesus to leave heaven, where he was dearly loved and always treated well to come to earth where life was often difficult and even though some grew to love him, many treated him hatefully and rejected him. Yet, he wanted to come because there was no other way to redeem us. (“If That Isn’t Love!” is a song Dottie Rambo wrote, which emphasizes this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbbF_QZB_Ik)

        We know now that the baby Jesus, whom the angels declared would save his people from their sins, grew up and lived among sinful humanity, then conquered sin by his death and resurrection. After returning to heaven, Jesus sent his Holy Spirit to give us the power and wisdom to walk in the path our Father God planned for us. This gives joy even to people who suffer from sickness, pain, grief, or other difficulties.

        Whether with family and friends or alone with God, we can rejoice on Christmas and every day. Because of Christmas, God is with us: Immanuel. We can know him and have a personal relationship with him. Because of Christmas (and Easter), we are no longer hopelessly mired in sin. We can be forgiven if we ask and believe that the baby born at Christmas grew up to fulfill his purpose, which was to bear the sins of the whole world so we can be free of them, forgiven, and set free from the captivity of Satan. “Praise the Father, Praise the Son, Praise the Spirit, three in one” is a song by HillSong. You can hear it at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PuRklGzVbc

         Thank you, Jesus, that you came to redeem us and that you will come back to take us home with you and will make all things right. Thank you for equipping your disciples to spread the message, for giving us your holy scriptures, and for preserving the Bible so we can read about who you are and what you have done. We love you and thank you. Amen 

Judith Vander Wege

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