Christmas is a great time of the year

Christmas is a great time of the year.

What do we mean when we say this kind of thing? Are we saying that we prefer “the bleak mid-winter” to the “summer suns” (Church Hymnary, 178, 624)?

We endure the bleak mid-winter – “Frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow” (Church Hymnary, 178). 

We enjoy the summer suns – “Summer suns are glowing over land and sea; happy light is flowing, bountiful and free. Everything rejoices in the mellow rays; all earth’s thousand voices swell the psalm of praise” (Church Hymnary, 624).

We speak about “a white Christmas” – but it can be very cold!

What is it that warms our hearts – when the weather’s so cold? What is the light that shines so brightly – when the winter nights are so long and dark?

What do we mean when we say, “Christmas is a great time of year?”

The greatness of Christmas has nothing to do with the time of the year. It has everything to do with a great love, a great gift and a great future.

The greatest love of all – This is what Christmas is all about. It’s about the love of God. God’s love for us is so much greater than our love for Him. There’s a hymn, which says, “My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine … If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now!” (Redemption Hymnal, 524). What are we to say about our love for Jesus? Sometimes, we’re up. Sometimes, we’re down. Sometimes, we sing, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back” (Mission Praise, 272) – but there are other times when we feel like turning back, when we find it so hard to keep on following Jesus. What are we to do when we feel like this? Let’s remember how much God loves us. This is the great message that comes to us at Christmas time – and all year round: “God loved the world so much … “ (John 3:16).

The greatest gift of all – “God loved the world so much”: How do we know that He loves us? – “He gave His one and only Son … “ (John 3:16). Think back over the years: We enjoyed Christmas so much when we were children – but has Christmas always been an enjoyable time? Perhaps, Christmas brings back painful memories. Perhaps, it brings back memories of happier times – but, sadly, with the passing of the years, these memories are becoming distant memories. We remember times of giving and receiving – gifts that we gave, gifts that we received. As we treasure precious memories, let us remember God’s greatest gift – Jesus. He comes to us from the past – but He is so much more than a distant memory. He is with us now – and always.

The greatest future of all – Why does God love us so much? Why did he give His Son for us? A week after Christmas Day, we will be wishing one another a Happy New Year. Soon, our thoughts will be moving towards the future. This is where the Lord is leading us – into His future: “everlasting life” (John 3:16). When we speak about God’s gift of everlasting life, we do not run away from the harsh realities of life in this world. We ask the question, “Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?” – and we hear God’s answer, “Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away? In Jesus’ keeping, we are safe, and they” (Mission Praise, 555). As we move on from Christmas and on towards the New Year, we do not travel into the future on our own. The Lord is with us – always and forever.

Here are some words of encouragement to guide each and every one of us into God’s future: “Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake to guide the future as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; all now mysterious shall be bright at last … Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on when we shall be forever with the Lord, when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last” (Church Hymnary, 673).

At Christmas time, in the New Year, and always, I pray that all of you will know that you are loved by the Lord.

God bless you all.

Charles Cameron, better known as Charlie to his friends, lives in Scotland and is a member of the Church of Scotland. He owns several Christian blogs found at the following links:

Old Testament; New Testament