What Makes Christmas?

We are only two days away from our annual women’s Christmas Coffee. With all the planning on paper, we are now in the throws of all the busy work. For the last three weeks I’ve been online-ordering, shopping and making mini-lists of things not to forget just working on the center pieces. I’ve been holding my breath for packages on my doorstop and have made more trips to Walmart and Dollar Tree than I care to admit. In addition to all that, I just cleaned out my fridge from all the Thanksgiving leftovers. Does anyone out there relate? In my endless errands I’ve been surprised to discover that the shelves in just about every store are in complete disarray or certain Christmas items have already sold out. Needless to say, I’ve not been the only one who’s out the door with Starbucks in hand at the crack of dawn.

If you ask most Christians “what makes Christmas?”, they would chime in with the obvious and I’m sure sincere response, Jesus! His beautiful name comes from our lips without hesitation or a second thought. We watch the world around us where the merriment of the season is defined by much of what man has tried to fit comfortably into an individualistic concept or belief. Whether its being with family, celebrating traditions, and of course giving and receiving, eating and drinking, there is a definite sense that humanity celebrates its best idea of Christmas depending on personal definition.

I came across this passage and it stops me in my tracks again and again. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15

Let’s take a moment and remember the context of these words. They do not deal in a passage concerning Jesus, or the wonder of the Cross, or the joy of redemption, or the love of God. In this chapter the apostle Paul is dealing with money matters and the taking up of a collection on behalf of the poor and marginalized believers in Judea. It’s one sentence at the end of the chapter but oh how profound is this reminder in the midst of everything that was said before. Paul’s focus was so full of Christ that whatever the subject or circumstance at hand, he somehow found everything leading back to Jesus.

Christmas is distinctly the season of gift giving among most, regardless of race or culture. But sadly the beauty of the most precious gift, has been overshadowed by that which is so temporary and truly effecting to the soul. Zacharias, who is holding his infant son John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit is use by God to give us one of the greatest Christmas sermons ever.

“And you, little child, will be called the prophet of the most high, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for his coming. It will be for you to give his people knowledge of their salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. Because the heart of our God is full of mercy towards us, the first light of Heaven shall come to visit us—to shine on those who lie in darkness and under the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Luke 1:76-79

This is my prayer for our women’s Christmas coffee? As women walk through our doors that they would receive the indescribable, unspeakable, inexpressible Jesus! To receive the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sin, to have His light expel the darkness and shadow of death, to shine brilliantly and vibrantly into hearts, and to guide restless souls into the way of peace.