I would wish everyone a merry Christmas but I am looking at this in a different light since the passing of my mom.
The holiday has many positives and negatives that ppl take up sides on...they both have merit.
What is the focus? We all know the right and wrong answers but there are those that rest in the gray areas as to if it is sin to you, then it is sin.
I love to give, I like to receive if it brings pleasure to those that are giving. I love to be around family and I dread to be around family (can I get an amen). I love the lights but deplore the commercialism/materialism. I absolutely love to listen to and play all the Christmas music (no down side on this one I can see). I love the food and loathe the guilt of the added weight I don't need. I love to see ppl helping others at this time of year wishing it would last the whole year. Churches are full...are they hearing the Gospel or just being entertained. I enjoy the feelings while the rollacoaster is on top but feel washed in sadness in the trough...and that brings us to the crux.
Expectations: If Christmas as a kid was wonderful we may have unreal expectation. If it was bad we dread the season. If we have lost loved ones, especially around the holidays it can be a very sad time. We can feel alone in a sea of ppl and the depression can lead to further isolation and we all know the terrible stats about what happens to ppl at this time of year.
So whats the answer? Of course the point of the holiday was for the church to refocus ppl from the raucous winter solstice celebration to that of the saviors birth...which had limited success and I am not so sure the ramifications for the church was worth it as the Bible simply is silent as to when He was born but there is a great deal of speculation which has lead to theological arguments (oh, "merry" X-mas . So the focus on Christ is good but was never mandated by the Lord.
And we have come full circle. We are here and it is what it is. So what to do. See the holidays for what they are. Enjoy them. Love others in His name (cover a multitude of sin). Tell others the reason for the season and don't get too hung up on the theological issues. Be aware of you own expectations and emotions leaving them at His feet.
This is way long...sorry. Now I think I have found something that is timeless and is no new great revelation.
I was given a divine appointment where I was in an odd place and the right time to encourage someone who was feeling defeated about their witness. I (haha-the Lords words not mine) quoted scripture and told anecdotes and left her encouraged to solder on...strange thing was, I had showed up feeling defeated myself and leaving with the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders.
The point is, we who are suffering can find some relief simply by focusing on Him and others. JOY-Jesus 1st, Others 2nd and You/me/us last. There can nothing more difficult than to drop the focus on what is crushing me and be redirected and join God in what he is doing.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MAY HE WHO LOVES YOU WITH ALL HE HAD TO GIVE BE WITH YOU AND COMFORT YOU DURING THE CELEBRATION OF HIS BIRTH!
The holiday has many positives and negatives that ppl take up sides on...they both have merit.
What is the focus? We all know the right and wrong answers but there are those that rest in the gray areas as to if it is sin to you, then it is sin.
I love to give, I like to receive if it brings pleasure to those that are giving. I love to be around family and I dread to be around family (can I get an amen). I love the lights but deplore the commercialism/materialism. I absolutely love to listen to and play all the Christmas music (no down side on this one I can see). I love the food and loathe the guilt of the added weight I don't need. I love to see ppl helping others at this time of year wishing it would last the whole year. Churches are full...are they hearing the Gospel or just being entertained. I enjoy the feelings while the rollacoaster is on top but feel washed in sadness in the trough...and that brings us to the crux.
Expectations: If Christmas as a kid was wonderful we may have unreal expectation. If it was bad we dread the season. If we have lost loved ones, especially around the holidays it can be a very sad time. We can feel alone in a sea of ppl and the depression can lead to further isolation and we all know the terrible stats about what happens to ppl at this time of year.
So whats the answer? Of course the point of the holiday was for the church to refocus ppl from the raucous winter solstice celebration to that of the saviors birth...which had limited success and I am not so sure the ramifications for the church was worth it as the Bible simply is silent as to when He was born but there is a great deal of speculation which has lead to theological arguments (oh, "merry" X-mas . So the focus on Christ is good but was never mandated by the Lord.
And we have come full circle. We are here and it is what it is. So what to do. See the holidays for what they are. Enjoy them. Love others in His name (cover a multitude of sin). Tell others the reason for the season and don't get too hung up on the theological issues. Be aware of you own expectations and emotions leaving them at His feet.
This is way long...sorry. Now I think I have found something that is timeless and is no new great revelation.
I was given a divine appointment where I was in an odd place and the right time to encourage someone who was feeling defeated about their witness. I (haha-the Lords words not mine) quoted scripture and told anecdotes and left her encouraged to solder on...strange thing was, I had showed up feeling defeated myself and leaving with the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders.
The point is, we who are suffering can find some relief simply by focusing on Him and others. JOY-Jesus 1st, Others 2nd and You/me/us last. There can nothing more difficult than to drop the focus on what is crushing me and be redirected and join God in what he is doing.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MAY HE WHO LOVES YOU WITH ALL HE HAD TO GIVE BE WITH YOU AND COMFORT YOU DURING THE CELEBRATION OF HIS BIRTH!