Christmas?

As I sit here at lunch on December 18, 2012, I realize another Christmas is upon us. How can that even be possible? As I get older, the years fly faster. As I begin to think of the presents I’ve bought, and how I’m going to wrap them, I know I’ll soon need to start thinking about next year’s Christmas.


Each year, it seems harder to get into the Christmas spirit. As a kid, as soon as Halloween was over, I was in Sears, and whatever other catalogs we had, looking for the toys I wanted. My typical wish list had items like: Lego Fire Station, Toys-By-Roy catalog, page 13, Item E1. On the catalogs that we got in the mail, I might even clip out the item’s picture (just in case they couldn’t follow my explicit instructions). I didn’t want anyone being embarrassed if they accidentally bought me the wrong color of something.

But I digress.

I’m obviously busier as a working adult than I was as a child, so there is less time to sit and think about Christmas. And I realize that is why the years fly by more than they ever have. But even listening to the radio, and all of the Christmas music, I still find it hard to feel “Christmassy”.

Maybe if it wasn’t still in the 60’s and 70’s during the day, it would actually feel more like Christmas. Two weekends ago, we had Christmas on the Boulevard at my church. We had several indoor and outdoor scenes set up, where people would walk through and experience the Christmas story. People in costumes played the characters, as narrators told the story. Two live camels completed our live nativity. As I stood outside on Saturday evening, which was actually a few degrees cooler than Friday, I was sweating and swatting at mosquitos. December 9th…mosquitos.

And then there’s the horrible tragedy in Newton, Connecticut. It’s hard to feel “Christmassy” when thinking about so many beautiful, innocent children, taken in such a terrible way. And how on Earth could Adam Lanza, or any human being, ever reach a point where they were capable of doing such things?

And in my time of prayer, and asking God to comfort the families, I begin to think of what Christmas is all about.

“…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 (ESV)

If was for that exact reason that we even have Christmas. We were separated from God because of our sin. There is no way for us to ever reach heaven on our own. Only God could bridge the gap. It took His Son coming to Earth, and living His live to be an atonement for us. Without His sacrifice, we would be forever separated from God. Did Christ come to die for you? Yes. Did He come to die for me? Yes. Did He come to die for Adam Lanza?

Yes. Even for Adam Lanza.

In my mind, I look at people like him, and say he doesn’t deserve Christ. Then I have to realize that I don’t deserve Him either. That is the entire point. God’s grace. Unmerited favor. If we deserved it, we could no longer call it grace. Do I understand the grace that would shed His blood for such a person as Adam Lanza? No more than I understand the grace that shed His blood for me.

When I truly stop and think about what Christ did for me…it is a little easier to feel “Christmassy”.

God bless the hurting families in Connecticut. Surround them with your love and help them heal. Bless those who are suffering around the world, each and every day. Help us as your children to stand in the gap for them, to show your love to them, even when they don’t want to see or feel it. And help us as your children to model Jesus to a lost and dying world. May more eyes be opened this year to see Christmas for what it is truly all about.