It's that time of year again. The trees are decorated, the stockings are hung. We are all ready to rip open a few presents and eat some good, home-cooked food. With Christmas just a few days away, I feel it's important to reflect and remember why it is that we celebrate Christmas in the first place.
Many people toss around the phrase 'the true meaning of Christmas,' but what does that mean, exactly?
The word Christmas itself can be broken down and used as a reminder in itself: "CHRIST-mas." Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ; God's gift to all of us. He sent His son to Earth to bear the burden of our sins, so that we may be forgiven and know peace. (If you'd like to read the story of Jesus' birth, check out Matthew 1:18.)
John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
Christmas is meant to be a celebration of this beautiful gift. The presents, Christmas music, decorations, the yummy foods and warm drinks, they're all a way of celebrating. They are not what Christmas is about, however. They are merely symbols.
Take the candy cane, for example. Most people associate it with Christmas; it is just a yummy decoration to hang on the tree, right? Many do not recognize its hidden meaning. The candy cane is actually meant to be viewed the opposite way that it is hung on the tree; it's a J, for Jesus. The red stripes stand for the blood he shed, and the white stripes stand for his innocence and purity.
The tradition of gift giving stemmed from the Wise Men that visited Jesus at his birth. They presented Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. This tradition has continued on through the years, as we now present one another with presents in celebration of Christmas.
But, the most important gift is the one God gave us; His son and, through Him, our salvation. So, as you celebrate this year, unwrapping presents and candy canes alike, try to take some time to sit back and reflect with your family. Remember the true meaning of Christmas; love. A vast and unending love displayed through the ultimate sacrifice.
Merry Christ-mas to you and your family. It is my highest hope that ii is filled with love, (the true meaning of Christmas) and reflection on the greatest Christmas gift that we have ever received.
"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." -Philippians 2:8-10
