Let's talk about the "spirit" and "magic" of Christmas.
One of the things that I admire most about Christmas, at least in the secular sense, is the holiday's ability to bring joy to communities in a way that no other holiday does in the Western world. Just yesterday, lights and decorations were up, candles were lit, songs were sung, and families sat and enjoyed the presence of their loved ones. Even the most uptight of Stooges were caught cracking a smile or humming along to Jingle Bells or Silent Night.
There's just something about the holiday that changes the atmosphere.
Some, like the famous Walt Disney, would call it magic. I'm convinced that whatever goes on is not simply magic, but a literal altering of our atmosphere. I believe it is a manifestation of the meaning behind the day; It is an annual pouring out of the same divine sensation that came upon Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the Wise Men on that great, historical day, more than 2,000 years ago. It is the awe and enchantment that comes with beholding and experiencing the supernatural God Himself in our natural, physical dimension.
It is Emmanuel: God with us.
It is this very truth that our God, Jesus Christ the Savior of the Universe, came down from Heaven into our dark world to save us from our sins, that transforms our atmosphere so greatly, and it is a truth that I believe we must hold fast to even after all of the festivities cease. Christ left his place at the right hand of the throne of God to become a tiny, helpless babe. He was delivered from the womb of a young virgin that he may one day deliver us from the evil that surrounds us.
God in Christ made himself so small, so humble for the sole reason of communicating the ultimate ‘I love you.’
This sort of love didn’t end with Christ’s birth at Christmas, but it went as far as Gethsemane where he was betrayed, to the chief priests and the Council where he was spat on and slapped in the face, to the Cross where he was ridiculed and died, and to the Father where he didn’t stay dead but rose that we may one day rise with him. This sort of love is lasting and memorable, so we ought to remember it.
Christmas won’t return again for another 364 days, but Christ has already come and is here. It is because of this that we ought to be filled with the same joy we had yesterday and let it continue on each and every day, for the Presence of our King is good news!
So as the lights come down and the candles burn out, remember to keep the fire in our hearts burning strong for the final coming of Our Savior King! May live each day with eagerness and excitement, as we await the returning of the Bridegroom, and may we have the fullness of joy enough to share this news with those around us.
