it’s more than just a season
I love the Christmas season! There is always so much peace and joy, and everyone is more generous and kind. But, I’ve wondered why just around Christmastime. Why do we wait until the last month of the year to send a card to a friend or get a gift for someone in need? The joy that Jesus brought is not meant to be celebrated just in this season but in all seasons of life.
The world is slowly drifting away from the real reason for Christmas. To really understand Christmas is to understand the Gospel! God sent His Son so that we could walk in freedom, with eternal peace, joy, and life! We were dead in our sins, lost without hope, separated from God. But Jesus came to be God with us! He made a way for us to have a relationship with God! Christmas is only the beginning of God’s miraculous and redemptive story! The wonder of the Christmas season is only possible because of the horror of the cross, it’s both the manger and the cross. Christ wasn’t born to bring us warm fuzzies, but to deliver us from sin and death! Christ was born to save sinners, to penetrate the darkness with light! A light that could not be extinguished. It’s more than just tinsel and trees! Take time this Christmas season to choose to get perspective! Step back and remember the Christ in Christmas. The food and gifts are nice, but they mean nothing without Jesus.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6-7
We celebrate the birth of baby Jesus because it’s the moment in history when the prophecy was fulfilled and CHANGED EVERYTHING. God came to be with us. This baby would grow and establish a Kingdom of righteousness forevermore.
the gospel in the ordinary
Have you ever listened to the lyrics of some of the most famous Christmas carols? I mean really listened to them. Some have a deeper meaning than just a song sung around the holidays. I have loved listening to the ordinary Christmas carols this season and connecting them to biblical scriptures. They take on a whole new meaning, the heart begins to rejoice as the soul finds its song. Take O Come O Come Emmanuel for example:
O come, O come, Emmanuel
O Come O Come Emmanuel – JM Meale
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
This song captures the eager expectation and anticipation of the Israelites but is also a prayer for Christians today as we wait for the second coming of Christ. Within just a few verses the tone shifts from morning to rejoicing, with a sorrowful joy!
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:9-14
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel“ (which means “God with us”).
Matthew 1:21-23
Jesus had been given many names, one of which is Immanuel. Which means God with us, because Jesus was God in the flesh. He was fully man and fully God (John 1:14-18). Immanuel is our savior, He was the ransom for the captive of Isreal.
There are many other carols, that have an amazing meaning!
Oh holy night
O Holy Night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error, pining
‘Til He appeared and the soul felt it’s worth A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn’
I challenge you this Christmas season to look for the Gospel in ordinary places!
with love,
Emily <3
progress
I learned so much through the writing of this blog post. It’s interesting to realize the extraordinary things that we so often take for granted. I also liked to take the scriptures and lyrics and turn them into a beautiful work of lettered art!
reflection
I don’t want to go through life, and allow them time to just slip by without meaning. During Christmastime, it’s easy to do just that, the gift-giving, a decorating, drowns out the real reason for celebration. After Christmas, you feel just as empty but with more meaningless gifts. But through Jesus, we can experience true joy and peace all year long.
