For years, we didn’t celebrate Christmas. The church we were in had taught us that Christmas was a pagan festival dressed up as a Christian celebration. So, when the kids were growing up, we had no Christmas tree, no tinsels, no baubles. At least, we would give them presents so that they wouldn’t feel too left out. But it had a profound effect on them as you can imagine.
When we left the church, which was more like a sect really, we celebrate Christmas in a big way with all the bells and whistles. It was so special to have this family festivity together. We had stuffed turkey, roasts, pavlovas, everything really. We got the Christmas tree all set up and the stockings ready.
But often, at Christmas, I was reminded of all those people who felt ostracised from it all, either, like we were, through wrong teachings or through loneliness or whatever circumstances they found themselves in. Some people are grieving, some are in pain, some are all alone. It can be a daunting time of year for many.
So maybe it is time to look at Christmas in a different way.
What about the real reason for Christmas, Jesus
While I was walking the other day, I suddenly realised that for me Christmas is to know that Jesus is here in my life at any moment of the day.
He has my hand in His and He is not going to let go. Sometimes, the path is rocky and hard but He still holds us by the hand, lifting us up and guiding us through the difficult part of the way. Didn’t He say He would leave the ninety nine sheep just to come and search out the one. Sometimes, this one is us.
Sometimes we don’t even know where to turn or what to do, but He does and He is there right beside us.
Do you know He has your hand in His?
For years, even though I was a Christian, I didn’t know He would never let go. I knew the scriptures but to really believe they applied to me was something else.
It is only when I understood His unconditional love that I started to realise that He was with me always. He had said He would never leave me nor forsake me. Sometimes, I could believe it. Other times, I doubted I was good enough for Him to be there for me. I had the wrong understanding of who God was. I thought He was always ready to punish me when I did something wrong, so that I would stay on the straight and narrow way.
How wrong I was! God is love. God is forgiving. That is His main attribute. He sent Jesus, the Son of God, born of a woman and laying in a manger, to redeem the world from sin. This is the best present we could ever receive.
That’s what Christmas means to me now
It is so much more than a Christmas tree beautifully decorated, lovely food shared with family and friends. It is of course all of that but it is also much more.
Recently, I was confronted with something I had no idea about. It seemed like an impossible task. While I was out walking one morning, I was reminded of His hand holding mine. It was as if it was accompanied by a gentle voice whispering to me “we will do this together.” I could almost picture Jesus smiling at me. What a beautiful reassurance!
Isn’t that a wonderful promise? Yes, life might be hard, sometimes just out right tough. Suffering, heartaches, loneliness or fear are certainly on the rise. But in the midst of all this, when we have our trust in the Lord, we know that He will be there with us every step of the way. That’s what Christmas reminds me of, that’s what it is to me.