" Please stop for a moment and look at this letter. Do you see the beautiful wreath at the top and the candle down at bottom? What do they symbolize to you? Are they part of the warm, inviting feel of the Christmas season? While they may be, I doubt many of us have a clear idea of what , if anything, they symbolize. They are part of the traditions we embrace without really understanding what they mean. But then it’s all about the feeling it produces not their meaning.Christmas as an event , produces the same feeling regardless of it’s meaning. Even for those of us who understand that this is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, the celebration loses it’s meaning in the shopping, present giving and feasting. We get caught up in the warm fuzzies as well.
December 25th is a celebration of the birth of the Sacraficed Lamb of God. We don’t have a clear understanding of the date Jesus was born but the church has chosen this day to celebrate this event. It’s not the date that’s important, it’s that God has broken through; that he has put His long awaited plan of salvation in motion.
It’s important that a special baby was born, a perfect child born from above. But what’s more important is His purpose in coming. So when you’re out shopping and giving gifts and feasting don’t loose sight of the purpose of the birth we celebrate. In Revelations Jesus is worshipped, not as the perfect baby, but the Lamb of God who died for our sins and, as a result is worthy of our praise.”
I got this off of a letter I received in the mail today from Key Bible Club. It really spoke to me because I had been thinking about ways I wanted to celebrate Christmas and ways I didn’t. (or really what we were doing with “Christmas”?)Somewhere along the line , it was the church (christians) who decided to celebrate Christ’s birth this way and I think it must have been very meaningful and I want to keep it meaningful. The nativity scene seems to be so much more comfortable to look at then the cross scene. I want to keep the whole picture in mind..
3 comments:
I agree our thoughts need to be more focused on what God did for us by sending His son to die for us; however it's so discouraging when some Christians make it out as if it's evil to celebrate any of the Christmas traditions that we do, because even non Christians do it.
I can't see that God is in heaven condemning us because we take part in earthly Christmas celebrations with trees, wreaths and cookies.
We do an advent reading daily to keep our hearts and mind focused. I haven't started it yet though. We had company all last week & I've been trying to get life back to order ever since : )
I agree with you on that. As I said it is the church who decided to celebrate Christmas and I think it can be very meaningful even with the little things we do... as long as it doesn't only become about those things instead of Christ.
I just don't want our kids to become completely wrapped up in themselves and what they want for Christmas. I want to do some decorating too, but I'm trying to bring meaning that will last in the hearts of our children with it all. This year I'm really thinking of ways I can make it all meaningful to them and I want to show them ways we can show the love of God to others. (any ideas?)
Also, when this letter says to look at the wreath and candles, I don't think it meant you should not have a wreath and candles... not to me anyway.
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