CHRISTMAS IN THE REAL WORLD
Photo courtesy Amin Alizadeh
Christmas spirit. We’re first exposed to it while walking through a department store. A familiar Christmas song wafts through the air like auditory perfume. Then we find ourselves humming the tune. Without any effort, Christmas spirit seizes our heart.
But that gentle nudge doesn’t last long. Within a few weeks, we’re battling traffic and fighting crowds in an effort to grab this year’s Madison Avenue–driven fad our kids can’t live without, or a gift for the person we overlooked when putting together our Christmas list. We find ourselves in a tug-of-war to recapture that Christmas feeling, which abandoned us somewhere between the pajama aisle and the toy section. Before we can say, “Ghost of Christmas Past,” we discover we have more in common with Ebenezer Scrooge than with jolly Saint Nick.
Please don’t misunderstand. For me, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. But instead of shouting “Bah, humbug” in the middle of a department store, perhaps we should return to the simplicity of the Christmas story and the purpose of it all.
Isn’t it odd that a season designed to celebrate the Prince of Peace, should be filled with so much stress? That’s why we desperately need the message of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Why don’t we take Jesus up on his offer? Let’s slow down, take a collective breath and remind ourselves of what this special season is all about: God bringing eternal peace to the human race. We’ll be surprised at how much Christmas spirit we’ll rediscover.
Ponder
• On a personal level, what is the most stressful aspect of the Christmas season for you?
• How does grasping onto Jesus’ promise to give you rest bring peace to your heart?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Matthew 11:28-30.
Lord Jesus, in our hectic world, it’s so easy to lose sight of the simplicity of the season. Help me rest in your promises of peace.
(Adapted from my Christmas devotional, The Perfect Gift, published by Our Daily Bread. You can order here: https://a.co/d/7Ho1vqm or directly from Our Daily Bread Publishing.)