Into the Fire

I love Christmas. Truly love it. The old Christmas carols—you hardly hear them anymore. I love it when you walk into a store and hear them playing. Maybe it’s because I went for so many years without understanding the real meaning of Christmas that when I got it, my heart was touched so deeply nothing the world tries to do to it can spoil it for me.

Santa Claus is not a part of our Christmas. Our son never sat on Santa’s knee or left something out for him to eat on Christmas Eve. He’s never regretted it either. Unlike me who believed with all my heart that the supernatural man came with real live reindeers and brought me something special. I’ll never forget when Sally Swanberg (yes, that was her real name) told my friend Debbie and me in 2nd grade that Santa was my parents. I was devastated. With guilt! Guilt because I’d never thanked my parents for the beautiful Schwinn bicycle and all the other special gifts I thought Santa had left for me. They deserved that enormous gratitude I felt for those presents, not an imaginary fairytale! AACCKK!

I know people wince and moan about “depriving” children of the magic and fun of Santa Claus, but it wasn’t fun at all for me when I found out he didn’t exist. And the true joy of Christmas came to me when Jesus Christ had become my Savior, come to earth to rescue me from all the lies and debauchery of the sinful life on earth. Jesus Christ is the true gift of Christmas, not imaginary as some insist, not only for the Christmas season, living at some remote North Pole address. No, He is, was, and always will be available at all times to those who believe and to those who desire to find Him from their place of desperation. He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of the World. The Way, the Truth, and the Life. We don’t have to prop Him up with cute and clever stories. He Is.

So if the hustle and bustle and obligations of the season are getting you down, let Jesus light your way. What is necessary and what is not? Spend even a moment in His presence and remember how it was when you met Him. Who He is and who you are because He came to earth, lived a sinless life, gave His life in a suffering death, and rose again to redeem us. That is Christmas. So profound. So beautiful. So honorable.

Like I said, I love Christmas.

Father, thank you for your Son. Jesus, may I never forget what you’ve done for me. Every day, every way. You are my Savior. And my Lord. Holy Spirit, thank you for living in me. Hard to believe you would be so willing to occupy this once ruined but now redeemed temple, but I need you daily to survive. God, I love you. In the Name of your Son Jesus Christ, Amen.