Seasonal Thoughts

In thinking about Christmas the past few years, Wade and I get very disgusted with the rampant materialism that is all around us and even expected of us. It seems that there can be no Christmas get togethers without gifts. Why? And why don't I remember it being like this when I was a kid? Today I read an article about how Rome's biggest festival (even before the birth of the Christ) was similar to our American Christmas today. Which reminded me that, like someone pointed out to me recently, America today is so like Rome of the first century. And you know Rome fell. But I digress. Today I also read a post on Alan Cross's page. I found it so profound and encouraging and challenging that I felt I must share, so here it is:

I've meditated on what Jesus came to do and I have asked Him to do it in me in a fresh way. I've begun to look at the season in a whole new way and joy is being restored. The pain that I have felt of broken families and loss has begun to be shouldered by the God-man who took on flesh and became our Immanuel, God with us. What a blessing! What a perspective! It is all beginning to come alive and joy is returning.
But, it is not a joy that comes from this world or the plastic that we are to ingest from our culture. Instead, I am seeing the miracle of the coming of Christ in ways that go beyond words or manger scenes. Things that I've known to be true are coming alive in my heart, not as a "Reason for the Season," as though Christ was just the underlying excuse for all the celebrating. Rather, I am seeing the world aflame with the purposes of God, as Jesus stepped into space-time to bring salvation to all the world. The words of the great carols are resounding in my soul more and more as I think upon the power of the inexpressable, uncontainable God, limiting Himself to dependent baby human flesh. What a miracle!
This might all seem elementary, and these are things I've known for all my life. But, it is amazing how much worldly expectation you can attach to spiritual things. Christmas belongs to Christians, not the world. They are going to get it wrong 100% of the time. We endanger ourselves when we give our celebrations and our hearts over to the world to redefine and destroy. We endanger our faith when the validity of our celebrations rest on the good will of a secular world in saying "Merry Christmas" or in hosting our Nativity scenes. Christ lives within us. He has come. If He has come, shouldn't we go and tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere, that Jesus Christ is born? Shouldn't we incarnate Christ into our dark world? Shouldn't we bring His peace, joy, hope, and love to a world in desperate need?
On December 26, in the midst of new toys and gadgets, America will wake up with a profound materialistic hangover, covered in wrapping paper and credit card debt. There will be a let down that is only alleviated by more shopping for after Christmas sales and the celebration of New Year's. But, we will arise with hope in our hearts and praise on our lips. Our Savior has come and He lives within us. He still wants to come further and deeper into our world and He has chosen us to bring His Kingdom. How can our Christmas be about that? How can each present we give be a representation of the gift of grace that was given to us in Christ? How can each time we light the tree, we remember and proclaim that Jesus is the light of the world?
I'm all for Christmas again. But, I'm a Christian and I celebrate it differently from the world. I celebrate the Incarnation of the Son of God onto a planet frozen in sin and death. He brought life, light, and salvation. May God be praised forever. Immanuel - God with us.

This definitely gives me something to think about. Surely a new perspective like that can change my outlook and attitude. If not, I'm more like the world than I realized. I invite you to share in this challenge of making Christmas about Immanuel--may we hold each other accountable in love.