Merry Christmas

From "The Pastor's Pen" in the December 2007 Voice of the Valley, the monthly newsletter of Valley Bible Church, by guest-posted by Stephanie Buczak. Re-posted here with permission.

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Thank the LORD we still have a season worth celebrating.

Remember Christmas? Remember waking up early on Christmas morning, sneaking out to the smell of the fresh pine Christmas tree, crawling under the tree to turn the lights on, and waiting ever so impatiently for your parents to wake up? Remember the Christmas program with the manger and the little biblically incorrect blue-eyed baby doll? Remember the angle costumes with theitchy garland halos (if you're blonde that was likely your costume every year when you really wanted to be Mary)?

What is Christmas all about? Certainly, we know what the holidays are all about. Presents, of course. Let's just be honest. Why else would all the stores have so many sales and why is the traffic around the malls so awful this time of year? Presents. The world tries to fool itself by saying that it's all about spending time with family, but that point is not well argued at all. Haven't you heard the commercial about how much of a drag it is to "have to go see the in-laws"? Don't give me "holidays". I don't want any part of such a contadictory sham.

Remember the name? Remember Jesus? Remember? Oftentimes I don't. It's very easy to get caught up in the commercialism of the season. I catch myself evaluating every commercial to see if what they're advertising is really what I want for Christmas. Could I ask for that and not hurt the budget too badly? What I remember is that December 25th is called Christmas, but in all this craziness about Christmas being called anything other than Christmas, I have been reminded that I have a reason for celebrating Christmas AS Christmas.

I celebrate a Savior Who is worth far more than my temporary, covetous wants. He's worth far more than just His birthday. For unto us is born this day....a Savior, Which is Christ the LORD. A Savior; a self-sacrificing, all-powerful, loving-above-all-other-loves, Savior, Jesus Christ. The Savior Who died for me. I have been saved for years and I still can't grasp the fact that Jesus died for me. Knowing that I remain safely in His arms, I still long to hug Him.

Say the Name against and remember it this Christmas: Jesus.