I know I am way too late or way too early for Christmas - depending on how you look at it! Some are still paying for the last one while others have already snapped up some bargains for the next one and have the Christmas cards in! I know who you are - the latter I mean!
I have a Christmas card on our mantelpiece at the moment celebrating the fact that Jesus came; and because it arrived late, it has to have its couple of days on display. Now when I say 'arrived late' that doesn't tell the whole story. I found it unopened in the back of a Bible I use for a study group while I was in the group - and yes, the person who gave me the card was there. Oops! Well, it gave everyone a laugh at my expense!
The 'arrival' of the card coincided with something I'd just read about how depressing people find this time of year; how January and even into February are long dark months; a huge anti-climax after Christmas. People are struggling with debt as a result of overspending; the 'Christmas spirit' has disappeared and family feuds resumed for some.
My card shows the stable where Jesus was born with the star shining over it and reminds me again that the light has come into the world, not just for Christmas, but for all time - and no darkness can ever put it out.
You see, it's not so crazy to have a Christmas card on display just now because in some ways it's always Christmas. Jesus came as Emmanuel - 'God with us'. And that was on what we celebrate as Christmas Day - but it's just as true and just as real in the dull, dreary days after Christmas. It's still true when we look forward and are a little anxious about what might lie ahead.
It's true because it's true because it's true - every day, all the time, forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment