Long ago, I used to eagerly await Christmas because of Santa Claus and the gifts which he brought (actually which parents and relatives bought). But now, Christmas is no longer about the fictional creature and the material gifts given and received on that day. Christmas for me, now lies in its true and fullest meaning- the gift of Jesus Christ from God our loving Father , to take away our sin and remain with us for eternity. The gifts Santa may bring may be broken/damaged the next day. Its life span may be short, but the ultimate Christmas gift to the world- which is so frequently ignored will never break and will never disappear. He is with us to stay FOREVER.
As we enter into the Christmas season, the same way in which we prepare our homes for the arrival of Santa Claus (in the case of our children), or our family and friends to celebrate this festive season, may we also prepare our hearts, in which Jesus will dwell and make His home in order to be with us forever. he can only remain in our hearts if we allow him to. It is my prayer that you use the season of Advent to prepare yourselves fully, as we remember the birth of the true King of the World.
When you put up the Christmas lights to illuminate your homes, it is my hope that you remember the light of the star which led the Wise Men to Baby Jesus. May you also remember that Christ is the ultimate light of the world and through Him, light can shine on this dark world once more.
When you mount Christmas tree(s), may the green colour of the tree remind you of the green colour of the evergreens, which original advent wreaths were first made from. As the name evergreens suggest, these branches are ever green, ever alive. it should remind You of Jesus, who came into the world to die, so that you may have life. Though Jesus died, he rose from the dead, never to die again. thus, the green should remind you of never ending life in Christ.
When you cook multiple delicious dishes, keep in mind those who may be hungry, who may not even have one meal to eat, compared to us, who have so much, that we can even afford to waste! Try to share your meals with those who may not be as fortunate as us and spread the joy of the festivities with them. after all, Jesus comes to us in different forms.
And finally, as you reflect on the birth of Jesus, recall that His coming was to teach us how we should live, after which he suffered and died a brutal death, to save us from our sins. Although many may hate Him or reject the belief that He actually walked the earth and died for us, we should pray for them, that one day they may be forgiven for their sin. We should also take this opportunity to spread love and joy around like confetti! Let us forgive our enemies and love them, just as Jesus forgives our sins and loves us unconditionally, including those who may hate or refuse to believe in Him.
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