Merry Christmas!

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." ~ Luke 2:7

Merry Christmas!

That's all, just Merry Christmas. However... may our Merry Christmas be rich and deep and filled with Truth. May we each be reminded of the great sacrifice of Christ at this time of year. The anguish of leaving heaven, the anguish of taking a human form and of suffering the indignities of humanity, the anguish of all that it is to be human, and yet remaining fully God.

As we revel this Christmas, as we spend time with family, and eat copious amounts of sweets, overindulging in bountiful feasts, as we succumb to the shiny trinkets under the tree and desperately seek after that warm and cozy Christmastime feeling; may we remember that although Christmas is a wonderful time of year for many reasons we also have great cause for a most sincere pause.

It is appropriate and wonderful for us to celebrate the Birth of Christ - He is our Savior, Redeemer, Sacrifice and Lord! Our salvation in Christ is the greatest reason for celebration. Celebration notwithstanding - we should also allow this time of year catch us up short in our sin; sin that saturates and defiles every aspect of our lives. It is for this very reason that Christ came to us, He was born and died on account of our sin. It would serve us well to remember this truth throughout the year, but certainly we should not forget it at Christmas for the sake of revelry. The birth of our Lord was the beginning of pain and sacrifice for Him.

So, Merry Christmas; and as the world celebrates "the Holidays" (we along with them), may we each be blessed in taking time to celebrate Christmas!