I've noticed a pattern in holiday movies, especially those marketed to the children. It's all about saving Christmas. The formula consists of a bunch of people not believing in Christmas or Santa Claus, a child who believes, and a Santa who's gone missing or lost the gift bag or his sled breaks down. And that faithful child or group of children, or pets as the case may be, has to act heroically, in order to ensure that Christmas does in fact happen, that is, that everyone gets a gift to open on Christmas morning. It's bugged me for a while as I watched these programs with my own children and felt the hopelessness of a world that depends on the sincere belief of children against the big-bad world of hard-hearted adults. It's as if with maturity, one loses the ability to believe, and this belief--in whatever deity or saint or legend of your choosing--is what makes Christmas come.
Now I keep hearing the same phrase "saving Christmas" coming from the Christian sector. The very phrase "saving Christmas" grates on the nerves. Christmas, by its very nature, saves us. We cannot save Christmas. For all our good intentions, wishful thinking, or sincere believing, we are incapable of saving anything. Christmas is about God saving us.
I think of a song on my Christmas playlist, sung by Mary Chapin Carpenter. It begins "no presents, no candy, no tree, no stockings hung by the fire. No parties, no family to greet, no angels' heavenly choirs.
Bells are ringing all over the world, bells are ringing calling the light (emphasis mine)." Whatever we invent as the Christmas or Holiday season--gifts, family gatherings, trees or treats--these are just trimmings, all good things but if we let them eclipse the Light, they are empty, powerless distractions. If you are alone, barely keeping afloat in this difficult world, without gifts or family to present with gifts, I've got Good News for you--It's Still Christmas! If you live in a hostile country where your obvious celebration of such a religious holiday could mean death for you--It's still Christmas!
In the barren, in the untouched womb, God conceived Christmas. Jesus, salvation. Immanuel, God with us. And He is with us still. Someone somewhere may succeed in preserving their perfect traditional holiday, but it isn't Christmas. Jesus is. Jesus the Light of the World born to seek and to save the lost. Born to set us free. Who "to our weakness is no stranger." Who is born Christ the Lord. Jesus saves us. He redeems us and He sets us free. Believe it or not, we easily become enamored of our captivity. Pretty paper on walls, pretty curtains at the bars. No amount of beautifying myself or my cell hides the lock on the door, the iron cuff on my ankle, and yet, I stayed. I saw Jesus, the light shining through the holes in His outstretched hands, welcoming me, promising peace and rest for my weary soul, freedom from this cage, hope against reason. I hesitated. Why? I don't know, perhaps the familiarity of our surroundings secures us against the unknown of that wide, open future. But eventually, one winter night, I reached out to touch that scarred hand, and He grasped hold of mine and has never let me go. This year, this Christmas, reach out to grasp the welcoming hand of the Christ-child, God-Man Jesus, and watch the prison disappear. Walk into that wide open, holding tightly to the Light of the World who promises to never leave you or forsake you. He is the faithful God who keeps His promises, crossed His heart and chose to die.
Don't exhaust yourself trying to "save Christmas" this year. "Behold your King! Before Him lowly bow" and you will be saved.
Playlist
O Holy Night (Aliqua performs my favorite rendition) http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PcMCgUovd08
Go Tell It on the Mountain
It's True by Sara Groves http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h0LbaZ4PRZU
Reading list
Matthew 1:18-24
Romans 5:1-11
John 3:16-21
Hebrews 13:5,6
Acts 16:30,31
If you would like to venture into these Scriptures with someone, please let me know. I'd be honored to walk with you.
