The Gift of Joy

Can you believe Christmas is just around the corner? It’s the most wonderful time of the year and sometimes the most hectic too. Many stores and homes are decorated for Christmas with lights, trees and stockings which are always fun and festive! There are holiday parties, activities, plays, and performances to attend. From creating to cooking to giving, our days are certainly full! So, how do we focus on having a Christ-centered Christmas, remembering the true meaning of Christmas not just during this season but all year round?

If we look back to when Jesus was born, life was hectic too. It was tax season. Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for the census. There was no place for them to stay, and Mary was about to have a baby. Amid all the chaos, Christ came. It was in a humble, hay-filled manger, that the Holy Child was laid in swaddling clothes. It was so commonplace that even the townspeople and guests did not notice what was taking place. The shepherds would have missed the event had it not been for the angel proclaiming, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” The gospel of Matthew declares, “And His name will be called Emmanuel, God with us.” This is the true meaning of Christmas.

In God’s plan, the little things are the big things; the weak things are the powerful things; the commonplace things are the most extraordinary things. The easily overlooked things tend to be the most important. The birth of a Savior, little and weak, hidden in a manger in a village, tells us this is so.

Let us remember this Christmas that the parties, plays and performances will end, and the decorations will be put away, but Christ came to stay. He is God with us. This good news that causes great joy for all people is life changing.