This Christmas season has been rather diferent for me than in the past, as I am not at home with my family. Yesterday, Sydnie and I found an artificial tree in the storage room at church and put it in our apartment. We went to a nearby gift shop and bought some decorations, and now our apartment is all decorated for Christmas! Honestly, I was starting to think that I wouldn't have a tree this year. I know that Christmas isn't about trees and decorations, but even for those simple things I am really thankful.
As we all know, though, Christmas is really all about Jesus. Christmas is about God in His love sending His Son to be our Savior. Christmas is about Jesus, coming as a humble babe and saving mankind. Thus, Christmas is about hope.
Before the foundation of the world, God knew that we would desperately need a Savior, He knew that left on our own we are hopeless and need Someone in whom we can hope. There is a quote that I absolutely love: "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; if our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; if our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; if our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; but our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior." I am so thankful that God, even before creation, knew of my need for forgiveness and made that forgiveness possible through Jesus.
One of my favorite Christmas songs this year has been "Oh Come All Ye Faithful":
"O' come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O' come ye, O' come ye
To Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of Angels
O' come let us adore Him
O' come let us adore Him
O' come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord"
I have been thinking, what must have the shepherds thought and felt when they went and beheld Jesus, the baby lying in the manger? These shepherds beheld with their own eyes the One whom had come to save them. What joy must have filled their hearts, what hope must have stirred within them! At the same time, I am sure they must have felt amazement and wonder as their Savior came in the humblest of ways one could have come.
Read with me this passage from Luke 2:8-20:
"And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!' When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.' And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning the Child."
Notice that it was said to the shepherds that the angel brought good news of great joy which will be for ALL people. This stands out to me so much, as I ponder the good news of Jesus, and how He came to save ALL people. This makes me want to share the good news of Jesus with others, as my heart breaks for those that don't know Jesus.
Something else I would like to point out is that once the shepherds went and saw Jesus, "they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this Child". The shepherd's didn't just keep this good news of great joy to themselves. No, instead they made known the good news of Jesus! Are we like the shepherds in this way? Or do we keep Jesus to ourselves?
Jesus came to save a hopeless and dying world. There is life and so much hope in Jesus. Sadly, our world today seems like it looks much like it would have looked like before Jesus came... dying and hopeless. My heart breaks because of the recent shootings that have happened - there certainly doesn't seem to be much joy and peace in this world. I can't even begin to imagine the pain of the families affected, and it makes me want to be at home with my family. I don't have any answers to all the questions, but one thing I know is that this world desperately needs hope. This world desperately needs joy and peace. This world desperately needs Jesus.
Though it may be extremely depressing with all the events happening today, we can have hope in Jesus, and, yes, even joy. The world is in a sad state, yes, but there is comfort and joy to be found in Jesus. May we be filled with hope and joy this Christmas season as we look to Jesus who came to be our Savior. May we come, behold, and adore Him, the King of Kings who came to save.
May we share this good news of great joy with our family and friends.
“If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.” ~Corrie Ten Boom
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