A Grace-full Life: CHRISTmas

It is very easy for even Christians to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and secular traditions that this time of year brings, especially those of us with children.

We do not teach Santa in our home. We don’t go so far as some and cancel out Christmas altogether. No, Beauty knows about Santa (how can she not?), but we do not tell her tales of an all-knowing, omnipresent or at least very FAST moving, old man who brings gifts to children between the time they go to bed on December 24 and wake up on December 25. My mom, though, does refer to Santa and is obviously unwilling to budge on the subject. I think Beauty understands the IDEA behind him, but knows he is “pretend”. However, she does open presents Christmas morning. I’ve explained to her that we give one another presents out of love and celebration of the Greatest Gift of all time, Jesus.

It is very important that we take the time to reflect upon what we are celebrating as Christians. Sure, it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, but that is beside the point. No matter the date, WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY IT WAS WHEN THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE STEPPED ONTO EARTH AND HUMBLED HIMSELF TO OUR LEVEL!!! It amazes me how subtle it all was too! Beyond a handful of shepherds being visited by angels, there was no fanfare. All the signs were there, prophecy was being fulfilled, but I dare say most people were too busy in their day-to-day to notice. Let us not be found guilty of the same, for one day He will come in the clouds with the trumpet sounding and every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
         And the government will rest on His shoulders;
         And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
         EternalFather, Prince of Peace.
⁷There will be ^\no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
         On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
         To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
         From then on and forevermore
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7 NAS

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-14 NIV

Inside the whirlpool galaxy: I might point out this was created BEFORE man