Christmas season is in full swing! How is it going for you? Are you staying focus on the Christ that makes up Christmas?
I have a very good friend who's just as passionate about spreading the gospel as I am. She most recently followed someone home so she could thank them for doing a good deed, that she witnessed, and wanted to make sure they knew that the Lord also saw their good deed. She is just that committed to Christ and truly loves other people. (Yes - that really happened last week!) Sometimes I like to imagine what the world would be like if more people who called themselves Christians actually acted like Christ. (I guess that would be called heaven - but you get my point, ha ha ha.)
Most people (non-believers) don't realize that they feel generous during this season because Christ makes up Christmas, we only celebrate because of Him. If we really look at the word 'Christmas' it is 'Christ' + 'mas'. The meaning of 'mas' means "more!" So by definition we have more of Christ this time of year, so of course people are going to feel different! The atmosphere is supercharged with Jesus!
2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory and majesty of God [clearly revealed] in the face of Christ.
The fact that we know Who Jesus is means we carry His light. And as this scripture states we carry the knowledge of the glory and majesty of God. Think about that! The knowledge of glory, the knowledge of majesty! There is nothing better than the glory and majesty of God - and that is the definition of Light!
Jesus, the Light of the world.
Paul goes on to say in the next verse, 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.
We hold Jesus, the Light of the world, in ourselves. The knowledge of the glory and majesty of God is found within us. And during the Christmas season, people everywhere become more joyous and more generous. The knowledge of God's glory and majesty (whether they realize it or not) has been stored up all year long that it's just too grand to not let it come pouring out! So the light that's inside us comes tumbling out. We decorate the inside and outside of our homes with lights.
Jesus is THE Light of the world, and He gave you a piece of Himself to hold onto. And as you stand holding it, you become the light in the darkness. It's the way Father God designed it to be.
The gifts that we are given by God are so glorious! In addition to the knowledge of God's glory and majesty, we are given favor, unconditional love, grace, mercy, and salvation! Yet we are earthen vessels. We are fragile, broken, flawed. Sometimes we leave Christ out of Christmas in our pursuit to buy the perfect gifts and be the perfect host. But what we need to remember is that the Light in us is what makes us perfect.
Realizing and reflecting on what Father God has given us should make us keep the Christ in Christmas. When we have a deeper understanding of what we have been given, without earning or deserving it, it should humble us to our knees. It should make us so grateful that we head out of our homes, more than we need, to just to shine the Light that we've been given.
I encourage you to take some extra time to pray today. And if need be, ask the Lord to open your heart to understanding more of what His Light means. Then be sure to keep Christ in your Christmas.