Where Are You Christmas 2011?

"O Lord, out of the depths I cry to You. Hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! Savior, come quickly." - Psalm 130:1

"Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled. Come near, you nations and hear. Proclaim this hope to all nations of the world. Announce it from coast to coast and to distant islands- the Savior of the nations is coming! He is coming soon!" -Isaiah 43:9

Over the past month I have been doing a lot of thinking about Christmas in today's society. I feel like my heart matches up with the passage from Psalm 130 above. It is so disheartening to see what Christmas has become. I can not go one hour working at Fareway without a customer complaining about not having a "white Christmas" this year. I constantly hear people talking about materialistic things that they want, or want to give to other people. I hear about how people are so excited to spend time with their families (which is not a bad thing necessarily), but I never hear people talk about the reason for Christmas anymore which leads me to conclude, many people have forgetten what Christmas is all about.

The popular Christmas Carol O Holy Night was the first song that was ever broadcast over the radio airing a Christmas service. Even though this carol was originally written in French, it has lots of virtue in its English translation about what Christmas truly is about.

"A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices." This is a line from the song that sums up the Christmas story. The fact of the matter is Christmas isn't about presents, Santa, family, snow, or any of the other things people commonly mistake it for. Christmas is about the new day that Christ brings. What exactly does a new day with Christ bring?

1.) A new day with Christ brings Exactly what you need.

"I say to myself, `The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'"- Lamentations 3:24

Without Jesus in our lives, we are all bound for hell. The only way that any of us can make it into Heaven is through Jesus. We are all sinners, and all deserve death because of our sin. However, Jesus came down on earth and died for you and me so that we may inherit eternal life. That is why Jesus says in John 14: 6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

2.) A new day with Christ brings The Hope to Keep Going

"It is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks him." -Lamentation 3: 25

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." - Hebrews 10:23

Humans could live one month without food, a few days without water, a few minutes without oxygen, however we can only live a few seconds without hope. As a Christian, the birth of Jesus represents the hope that our Savior has finally came. The hope that we are not going to be condemned to an eternity in Hell, and the hope to keep being bold in the face of our enemies to live out Paul's words in Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."


3.) A new day with Christ brings The help you're seeking

"It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."- Lamentations 3:26

"The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." -Romans 13: 11-12

There are times where the stresses of the Holiday's make life unbearable. It is important to always remember that because Jesus came on to this earth, lived a perfect life, died, and rose from the dead, not only are we forgiven of our sins, but we also have the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

Speaking from my own personal experience, two weeks ago was the hardest academic weeks of my life. Luckily, I heard a sermon by Craig Groeschel over much of what I'm writing about in this blog, and the passage in Romans was given and provided me with motivation. I threw up my hands said Jesus help me, I can't do this, and through the darkest week of my academic career Jesus led me into the light once again by providing me the privilage of making the Dean's List, when honestly I shouldn't even be this far in college. Don't give up. When your life is dark and when it is light, lean on Jesus; He will get you through the darkness and into the light.

As we come up on Christmas I pray that people truly remember what Christmas is all about. It is not about the snow (Thank God!), it is not about the presents (Honestly we're all greedy, 50% of the world lives off of less than $2), and it is not about family (Your family is God's gift to you). Christmas is suppose to be about Jesus, and only Him. The person who wrote the song O Holy Night was was a non-Christian. This proves that even non-believers can know the Christmas Story. Being a Christian is more than showing up to church on Christmas and Easter. It's even more than going every Sunday. Being a Christan is a life-style, it must consume your every day life.

I admit, I am far from perfect, I continually lose focus, but thanks to God sending His only Son Jesus Christ to this earth, we are able to find forgiveness in His arms. What part of that doesn't make you want to, "Fall on your knees" and give God praise?

Have a Wonderful Christmas Holiday,
Chris