What is the Reason for the Season?
What is the reason for the season?
Is it desserts, presents, and time with family?
Is it the opportunity to make your home look nice with a Christmas tree, lights, and decor?
While all these things are fun and festive, they aren’t the real reason we celebrate Christmas.
We celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus.
You’ve probably heard the Christmas story thousands of times. Repetition can desensitize us to the point that we forget something’s significance. We become accustomed to seeing the manger scene with Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus that we lose sight of its importance.
This Christmas, let’s take a moment to ponder the miracle of Christmas.
Jesus was born from a virgin. Long before His birth, the stage was being set. God promised to send His Son to save the world in Genesis, but it took years until He came.
No one would have guessed that God would come to earth as a baby boy. No one would have presumed that God would make Himself part of His creation.
The angels appeared to shepherds when Jesus was born. They revealed themselves to ordinary men doing a menial job. God doesn’t care about social status. He doesn’t care about how much money we spend on presents.
God cares about PEOPLE.
God sent His own Son, Jesus, because He loved the world and everyone in it!
This Christmas, let’s remember the reason for the season. It’s God’s gift of love through Jesus.
How do we keep the focus on Jesus?
1. Read the Christmas Story
One of the best ways to keep the focus on Jesus is to read the Christmas story. You may have heard it 1,000 times, but something shifts when you open the Bible and read it.
The Christmas story is in the Gospels. While Luke 2 has the most traditional Christmas story, try reading another one as well. Matthew 1 shares the genealogy of Jesus. Examine His lineage. Early chapters in Matthew, Mark, and Luke share Mary’s experience, how Joseph grew to be supportive, and how John the Baptist prepared the way.
2. Keep Prayer in the Picture
It’s easy to get busy with the holidays. Take a few moments to connect with your Heavenly Father. He loves it when we talk with Him! Not sure what to say? Thank God for what He has done for you, ask Him how to use your time and celebrate the holidays, and to lead you into the New Year. You may not have an hour to pray every morning, but setting aside 5 minutes throughout your day can make all the difference!
Prayer doesn’t have to be formal. You don’t need to be at church or on your knees. Prayer can be done anywhere! God wants to hear from you.
3. Keep Your Family Together
Many people take off work around the holidays, but that doesn’t mean the commitments aren’t piling up elsewhere. From office parties to extended family gatherings, our schedules can quickly fill up around the holiday season. Don’t let the craziness of Christmas steal your family time!
Plan family activities. Find something that your family enjoys and put a festive twist to it. Do you watch movies together? Watch a Christmas movie! Do you like to bake? Bake some Christmas cookies! Set aside time as a family. Get it on the calendar. Sometimes if you don’t prioritize spending time with your family, it’s an easy thing to skip. Don’t let the busyness of Christmas absorb you!
‘Tis the Season
Jesus is the reason for the season. Resist the urge to stress over trying to create the perfect holiday.
Christmas is about the gift of love. We give gifts not out of obligation but because we want to show our love and appreciation.
