We are just days away from celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who turned the world upside down during his life here, especially his last three years on earth. This is the time each year that we focus on this baby arriving, God’s own son, who came to earth to CHANGE us all with messages of love, forgiveness, and eternal life.
Love. Without stipulations. Love. Without a ranking order. Love. Without judging. Jesus taught it all his life. Love the Lord your God. Then, love your neighbor as yourself.
We hear the message. We sing the songs. We praise the Father and the Son. We say Alleluia!
Christmas is about sharing the love. Feeling it and giving it. It’s about hope. Peace.
When I attend Christmas Eve services I get the tingles, as I think of the unity that happens at that very moment. The beautiful candlelight glow that fills the church. Love is felt in the building, and beyond – into the community, and all around the world. The glow is everywhere. The light is shining in the darkness.
A baby child born so long ago that still makes a huge significance on us all. It’s pretty amazing. He is the ‘Christ” in Christian. He is voice of peace. Turning the cheek. Helping those who need help. Spreading kindness. The example for us all. The teacher.
We are living through a weird time in the US right now where being a Christian is questioned – by those who are not, and by people like me who are. Yes, there are different denominations and with them come various emphasises, especially on parts of the Bible. There are diverse interpretations. Yet, the birth of the baby Jesus is always the central part for everyone.
I have said before that I feel that because Christmas Day comes every year maybe we don’t always pause enough, to feel the LOVE, to focus on the importance of the baby. We get caught up in everything else – the shopping, the decorating, the gatherings, etc. There is plenty to distract us. Right? Every year I personally struggle with my own heart and I ask ‘do I do enough?’ ‘Do I get it?’ Do I understand?
Will this feeling of love continue?
I can answer that. No. After Christmas Day we all tend to go back to our secular lives and everything else comes back to us. We are busy. We are working. We get tired. We get opinionated. We forget about God’s son that came to show us all ‘the way’ and we prefer to live by our egos.
I worry about the coming year here in the United States. I wonder how the large community of Christians can see things so differently. Where is the love??? How can following Jesus seem so different among us?
Christmas puts everything that Jesus came to show us, and to tell us, right smack in front of us. We celebrate him – but do we really ‘live’ the love??
Marla’s Musings 