Christmas Joy
Do not allow the usual holiday hectic schedule and activities rob your joy of celebrating the birth of your Savior this Christmas season. Whether it's the shopping, the traveling, the gatherings, or whatever else, turn your eyes to Jesus Christ.
This time of the year reminds me of when I was in the Middle East. Being in a foreign land with a vastly different culture and religious ideals, I often wondered about what my friends and family were doing back at home and I yearned to be with them, especially my wife and children. I remember looking out into the desert, praying to God that He would fill them with His presence, producing the joy of celebrating the birth of our Savior. It seems though, at that moment, joy sprung up in me; all of a sudden, my melancholy state turned in a well of great joy, since God reminded me of the reality of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ. There I was, in a part of the world which is often hostile to people like me, praising my Lord for His wonderful gift of salvation! Yes, I missed my family and friends, but my personal relationship with my Redeemer surpassed any feelings of sadness or loneliness.
In a similar manner, great joy was produced when God gave some wise men the opportunity to witness the arrival of the long-awaited Christ:
"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." - Matthew 2:10
The wise men, as noted in the Gospel of Matthew, were filled with much anticipation for the coming Messiah, since they were already on the lookout for Him (Matt. 2:2). Based on what God previously revealed in His written Word, they knew it was only a matter of time before the scriptures would be fulfilled. Finally, when they saw the star rest over where the house where Jesus was born, "they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." While the wise men were looking forward to what Jesus would do as their messianic king in the future, we now have the opportunity to look back on what Jesus has accomplished for us through His sinless life and atoning death on the cross. We also have the opportunity to overtly respond in worship as did the wise men when they celebrated Jesus' birth (Matt. 2:11).
Do not forget that Jesus Himself was filled with joy by fulfilling the Father's plan of salvation, even when that included being crucified on a cross (Heb. 2:12). May we all join in the joy of our beloved Savior this Christmas season, looking to Him as the object of our worship and adoration.
Father, you are worthy to be praised. We thank you for sending us your Son to live the perfect and redemptive life needed to provide an atoning death for our sins. We lift up those to you who are physically or emotionally hurting during this season. May we have eyes to see the needs of those around us, the heart to care for them, and the faith to strengthen us as we tend to those needs. Lord, as You would be unto Your children, let us be unto others. In Jesus' name, amen.
This time of the year reminds me of when I was in the Middle East. Being in a foreign land with a vastly different culture and religious ideals, I often wondered about what my friends and family were doing back at home and I yearned to be with them, especially my wife and children. I remember looking out into the desert, praying to God that He would fill them with His presence, producing the joy of celebrating the birth of our Savior. It seems though, at that moment, joy sprung up in me; all of a sudden, my melancholy state turned in a well of great joy, since God reminded me of the reality of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ. There I was, in a part of the world which is often hostile to people like me, praising my Lord for His wonderful gift of salvation! Yes, I missed my family and friends, but my personal relationship with my Redeemer surpassed any feelings of sadness or loneliness.
In a similar manner, great joy was produced when God gave some wise men the opportunity to witness the arrival of the long-awaited Christ:
"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." - Matthew 2:10
The wise men, as noted in the Gospel of Matthew, were filled with much anticipation for the coming Messiah, since they were already on the lookout for Him (Matt. 2:2). Based on what God previously revealed in His written Word, they knew it was only a matter of time before the scriptures would be fulfilled. Finally, when they saw the star rest over where the house where Jesus was born, "they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." While the wise men were looking forward to what Jesus would do as their messianic king in the future, we now have the opportunity to look back on what Jesus has accomplished for us through His sinless life and atoning death on the cross. We also have the opportunity to overtly respond in worship as did the wise men when they celebrated Jesus' birth (Matt. 2:11).
Do not forget that Jesus Himself was filled with joy by fulfilling the Father's plan of salvation, even when that included being crucified on a cross (Heb. 2:12). May we all join in the joy of our beloved Savior this Christmas season, looking to Him as the object of our worship and adoration.
Father, you are worthy to be praised. We thank you for sending us your Son to live the perfect and redemptive life needed to provide an atoning death for our sins. We lift up those to you who are physically or emotionally hurting during this season. May we have eyes to see the needs of those around us, the heart to care for them, and the faith to strengthen us as we tend to those needs. Lord, as You would be unto Your children, let us be unto others. In Jesus' name, amen.
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