Christmas Is Coming

You don't have to go far to know that Christmas is fast approaching. Holiday decorations are in retail stores, and commercials on TV are advising you on what to purchase for family members this holiday season. I have always loved Christmas. But in the last couple of years, I have been pained at observing our society's misguided use of it. I want Christmas in my home to be first and foremost about God's ultimate gift of love for us--sending His Son to become a fellow human being in order to save us.

This morning I picked up where I last left off in Isaiah. I was thrilled at seeing the title of chapter 9--To Us a Child Is Born. Chapter 8 painted a bleak picture for Israel. Things didn't look good for God's chosen people. He had given them chance after chance to redeem themselves and repent of their evil ways. But they did not, not fully anyway. So, what will happen?

Chapter 9 opens this way: "Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Zaphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan" (Isaiah 9:1). One has the sense of a new dawn breaking the horizon, a new sun unlike one that has ever been.

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest" (Is. 9:2-3a). We are people walking in the land of the shadow of death. The result of sin is death--eternal death. But...God presents us with hope....

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end" (Is. 9:6-7a).

What joy! We were completely without hope. We could never save ourselves because none of us is blameless (Psalm 14:1-3, Ps. 15:1-2). We were meant for the grave. But God sent a Redeemer, His Son, a part of Himself, to pay the cost of our sins. One of my favorite Christmas songs is, of course, Joy to the World. When you understand the significance of Christ's birth, His death, and His upcoming return, joy seems to be the only logical choice of responses. And can you imagine a government run by God? Talk about compassion in politics! A ruler who rules with peace--only God could effectively pull that one off.

As the holidays draw closer, make a point of reading about Jesus--the prophesies about Him, the narration of His birth, the stories about His life in the gospels. Yuletide stresses may melt away as you bask in the glory of our "newborn King."