“ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 Like many of you, this season I attended a Christmas program that my granddaughters were in. They sang about Christmas being their favorite time of year and even being grumpy along with other things, At the very last of the program a couple of girls read these words from the famous Dr. Seuss’s Grinch. It said: “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought doesn’t come from a store?
What if Christmas… perhaps… means a little more?!!”
Well, as you can imagine, I think it means a WHOLE LOT more! Without Christmas, we can’t really have life with any meaning at all! You see, it is the gift that God gave us in Jesus Christ that gives us true life! Not only that, but because of God’s gift of forgiveness, we can have joy knowing that we have been made righteous through the offering of Christ at the cross. This gift of Jesus is a gift that keeps giving every day of our lives. It is the gift that transforms our lives and then through us, it changes the world around us! No wonder the angels sang “Joy to the World.!” From the time God gave us the gift of Jesus long ago, to right now, by His love God has given incredible joy, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love to the World along with the promise that through faith in Jesus we can live in this reality forever! It’s true, Christmas means so much more! So, what should our response to this Christmas gift be? Well, I think it means that wherever we go, whatever we are doing, we live as people who are so thankful for the gift of God in Jesus Christ that the spirit of Christmas is seen and experienced in and through us every day! For as long as we have breath may we proclaim that Christmas starts with Christ and never ends! I hope that this year and all the years from this time forward, you live giving! Giving Hope!
Giving Forgiveness!,,Giving Love! Giving Mercy! Giving Grace! That and so much more is what God gave us long ago, and what better way to celebrate Christmas than out of our love for Him, to give in the same way?!I hope I”m not the only one saying this to you this season, but if I am, Merry Christmas! And may you never forget that Christmas means so much more!
Oh, and by the way, have a wonderful, and Happy New Year!
(Editor’s Note: This column is written by a different Littlefield pastor for the Leader-News each week. The columns are published on this page on Wednesdays.)