Why We Need a Christmas Season

My family has heard me say many times that I wanted to start celebrating Christmas only on odd or even years, not both.  Since Covid, I don’t think I’ve said that.  I am just glad to be alive to see Christmas.  I think my tune may be changing.  Maybe the Lord is working on me.   

I was all too excited to decorate our new home for Christmas!  I bought an LED lighted garland to frame the front door.  I can change from colorful lights to all white lights, to flashing lights or running lights, all at the touch of a button!  I am so excited!  I am enjoying all the light displays around town.  I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about Christmas lights.  

When we read about the birth of Jesus in the Gospels, we read that it was first the light of a star that alerted the world to His birth.  The magi, when they traveled to King Herod, asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Mat. 2:2)   Jesus said, as John recorded in 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

We call the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments the Intertestamental Period - during this time, the people did not hear any word from God.  Can you imagine how dark the Earth must have felt with God keeping silent?  When we pray we want immediate answers.  We sometimes give God a few days to answer, but 400 years is a long time.  How long does it take before a man loses hope?  400 years with no word from God might feel like a pandemic - fear of fellow man, sickness, death, loss - and it’s only been 2 years!  When that light, the star that announced the birth of God’s one and only Son, the Savior of the world, appeared, it made a statement.  The people needed a Savior, just like we need a Savior today!  

While some of us have a tendency to make Christmas about material things, we need a Christmas season to give us hope.  I heard on the news this week that the United States’ death toll due to Covid, is around 800,000.  Many families will mourn the vacant seats at Christmas dinner this year.  We need the hope that the Christmas season brings.  Our loved ones, who are physically dead but believed in Jesus, are dwelling in heaven with Him.  If we, too, believe, we will be reunited one day.

Some of us have prayed and it feels like God is not going to answer.  We need a Christmas season to remind us that at another time in history God was silent - but oh what a glorious day it was when He answered!  

We need a Christmas season to remind us that God loves all people.  He placed that star for the whole world to see because Jesus came to save all people.  Those who love Him, must also love all people.  As we move into the new year, pray that God will show you how to love all people.  When we love people, we don’t fight with them, we seek reconciliation, we forgive, and we lead people to Christ.  

We need a Christmas season to help us to refocus on the light.  The world, the culture, has all sorts of distractions.  The distractions draw our attention away from Jesus.  They are the thief who “comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”  Jesus came “that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  Use this Christmas season to refocus your attention on Jesus.  He came to bear the burden of your sin.  If you believe in Him, your sins are forgiven.  There is no need to hang your head, feel guilty, or ashamed.  Pray to Him, giving thanks and ask Him what He would have you do in 2022.  Ask Him who He would have you lead to Him in 2022.  Amen!


Thank you so much for reading!
Enjoy the Christmas lights!
​Kim​