Thursday, December 22, 2022
December 22, 2022
Here we are—three days before Christmas! Are you finding it to be the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
I have wonderful memories of Christmas as a child and adolescent. My family of five sang together in one of the best choirs in the Toledo area. We had a skilled, adventurous choir director, paid lead vocalists, and we were often accompanied by members of the Toledo orchestra. We always had a wide variety of Christmas music to learn and perform, up to the grand finale on Christmas Eve at 11 PM. It was so much fun, and the music was very special! We always sang “Silent Night” at the close of the service, and our lead soprano floated a beautiful harmony that came from high above the candle-lit sanctuary. It really was, in my memory, the most wonderful time of the year.
I know that not everyone has such precious memories of Christmas. In fact, my own children might say their memories aren’t quite so great. My mostly intact family broke apart when I was in my early 20s, which led to lots of chaos. We still made an attempt to gather together for the holidays, but our time had lost its wonder. As hard as I tried (and sadly, sometimes I didn't try very hard), I struggled to find that wonder again.
So how did I get it back? Through Jesus!
After trying to make myself happy for 20 years, I finally returned to Jesus. Taking the focus off of me, I returned to celebrate our God, who is with us.
Matthew 1:23
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
This is such wonderful news! God loved us enough to send his Word, his Son, Jesus to save us. He chose to communicate with us through Jesus so that we could, perhaps, comprehend the depth of his enduring love for us! The names of Jesus found in Scripture give us so many things to celebrate about him!
Isaiah 9:6
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace! And praise be to God, the government will rest on his shoulders!!! These names and promises are for us as believers! And so we should be gloriously thankful for Jesus, the most wonderful gift ever!
2 Corinthians 9:15
Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!
It is my prayer for you this Christmas season that you take the time in all the busyness and rush that consumes our energy to contemplate the wonder of this gift. I pray that you take time to praise and thank God for all he has given you. And in that space, I pray you open your heart in worship and joy for our wonderful, amazing, generous God.
Questions:
Has the wonder of Christmas been lost for you? Or perhaps you never had it. What can you do to get it (back)? What can you celebrate this Christmas, regardless of your circumstances?
Next Steps:
With family or friends, or by yourself, light a candle and listen to some classic Christmas music. Make space to wonder about God’s greatest gift, maybe thinking about what it means to be a Wonderful Counselor, a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, a Prince of Peace. Share those thoughts with someone or write them in your journal.
Prayer:
Good and generous God, we are so grateful for the wonderful gift of Jesus! Especially at this time of year, we pray for a deeper understanding of the love that came down for us long ago. We celebrate the birth of our Savior and we desire to make space in our hearts for him. We pray, “Precious Savior, Love divine. Dwell within this heart of mine. Tear down every idol throne. Reign supreme and reign alone.” Let our lives reflect the glory of your coming, so that others are drawn to you this Christmas season. Amen.
Parent resource:
Read Luke 2:20 together as a family. What’s the biggest thing you want to thank God for right now (In addition to Jesus!) Share with each other and give God a giant round of applause.
This post was written by Lauri White. Lauri is one of the 25 people that God used to start CedarCreek in the Fall of 1995, and was on staff until 2013. Lauri loves Jesus, and loves helping people, especially women, live out of the truth about who we are in Christ. She and her husband Mike live in Oregon, but now spend winter months in Florida near daughter Kelda and her family.