It gets darker earlier. The leaves on the trees are changing colors and falling. It's so cold (and crazy windy!!!). Christmas music is playing on KOST and The WAVE. It's December! Christmas is just around the corner!!!
Since college, I've become more and more excited about holidays (as in all of them, even Halloween which is sort of weird since I don't do anything too exciting). Christmas will always be more special than all the other holidays though. I love everything about it even the commercial, secular, pagan, this-is-not-what-Christmas-is-all-about parts. Christmas trees, egg nog, outrageous Christmas sweaters, Santa, cheesy romantic comedies centered around the holidays, Christmas music (who else loves the Justin Bieber Christmas album? the Michael Buble album?? N'SYNC???) Actually, I think I'm not the only one who loves Christmas and anyone who is not looking forward to the 25th is probably in the minority.
One tradition that we have at our house is the advent calendar. Each year my mother buys each of us a cardboard box with some Christmas scene printed on the front and 25 perforated windows numbered 1-25 (this year she is a little late...). Behind each window is a piece of chocolate! It's great. I remember one year she tried to change it up and use these ornaments with Bible verses on the back...those weren't as popular as the chocolate filled boxes (what can I say, we are sinners who love our chocolate!) Even with our countdown tradition, I don't think I've really understood the kind of eager anticipation I should have around Christmas time or even the kind of appreciation I should have for Christmas as a Christian.
Christians and most non-Christians can tell you that Christmas is really about Jesus being born in a manger--or more "theologically", the incarnation. Not to downplay the fact that God became human, but I always kind of thought Christmas was kind of just a big arrow pointing to the less-celebrated-and-slightly-less-commercialized Easter. Obviously, Jesus had to be born so that he could die. Be thankful. Rejoice. The end.
Probably due to my greater love for chocolate than the Word, I've failed to see that Christmas and the incarnation are reminders of the faithfulness of God. God promised the Jews a Messiah and though they might not have recognized Him, He came. God has made a promise to us too, that Jesus will come again.
It's crazy how this slightly delayed epiphany has transformed how view and feel about Christmas. When I'm counting down the days to Christmas (21 more days!) I have to stop and ask myself if I'm as excited about Jesus coming back again. Do I feel that same eager, anxious, anticipation for His return? Do I treasure this world and all that's in it more than I treasure Christ?
This year my favorite Christmas songs are "O come, O come Emmanuel" and "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" (On repeat all day, err'day!). Before when we'd sing these songs I'd try to pretend I was an Old Testament Jew. But that didn't really cause me to worship or feel anything because I'm not an Old Testament Jew waiting for the Messiah. This year though, I understand more. This year, I can listen to these songs and in my heart say, "Yes! Please, come!" With the same yearning the Jews had for a Messiah, I can sing and pray and plead, "Come Thou, long expected Jesus...From our fears and sins release us. Let us find our rest in Thee!" This longing for Christ to come again is backed by the reality that he came once before. As if God could not be trusted, we have the incarnation and the cross as proof that He is a keeper of His promises.
"O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny; from depths of hell Thy people save, and give them victory over the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel"
"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 3:8-9
Seriously, download this Advent Guide.
I love this
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