Christmas Isn't Over

Maybe you're like me and you feel a little sad with Christmas over and done.  There is so much to do and such excitement before Christmas. Cooking, parties, church services, singing, shopping, wrapping, tagging, decorating and family get togethers.

Then

Suddenly

It's over. Done. Gone.

The new grandchild has gone home and there are no gifts under the tree.  The house is a wreck (it did start spotless, really).  We've sung Silent Night by candlelight.

Now begins the BIG letdown.  I begin to wonder why we go to all this trouble every year. Why do we stress ourselves so much for an evening and a day?

So, I shake off the worldly view of Christmas and take on the meaning from my faith.  Advent means "coming".  He is coming.  During Christmas we celebrate that God came to us as a helpless baby, in the humblest of circumstances.  Let's let that sink in for a moment...

God left his throne in heaven to come to earth and experience life as a human among his creation.

Pretty powerful, huh?

Why did he do it?  He could have just stayed in heaven.  He could have even "fixed us" from heaven.  But if He did that, what kind of relationship would we have with Him?  Would we really understand the depth of His unconditional love for us?  No way.

He came to us in Bethlehem. That's past tense. He comes to us every moment we allow Him in.

He comes to us when our hearts break with the loss of loved ones. He comes to us when we feel alone and afraid. He comes to us when we overflow with love for our spouse and children. He comes to us when we are discouraged by the injustice in the world. He comes to us on the innocent, perfect face of a baby.

He comes in power, in truth, in grace, in love. He comes even though we are undeserving.  He comes no matter who we are or what we've done.  He comes because he loves us.

Christmas isn't over. Because Jesus comes to us in a million small ways every day. Stop, pause, see Him.  In the present. He's never leaving.  The joy of Christmas is never over. 

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:14

Be love and be blessed,