I grew up in a home that never prayed before a meal, never prayed before going to sleep, never once as a family did we attend church. My parents were good people and lived their lives in a way that most would consider upright and moral. But Christ was not a part of our home or upbringing. We were not anti-church or Christ it was just not a part of our life.
When Christmas came as a very small child we did the Santa Claus thing. Pictures with Santa, the gifts under the tree came from Santa. We even left out cookies and something to drink for Santa when he came by to drop off the gifts Christmas eve while we slept. But Christmas was Christ-less. It seems like there may have been some angels as part of the decorations, snowmen, elves, mistletoe and such but there was no Christ in Christmas.
I remember as a child around 10-12 years old, watching the Peanuts Christmas Special with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole gang. Linus gets up on the stage and proceeds to share a portion right out of the bible Luke chapter 2.
When Christmas came as a very small child we did the Santa Claus thing. Pictures with Santa, the gifts under the tree came from Santa. We even left out cookies and something to drink for Santa when he came by to drop off the gifts Christmas eve while we slept. But Christmas was Christ-less. It seems like there may have been some angels as part of the decorations, snowmen, elves, mistletoe and such but there was no Christ in Christmas.
I remember as a child around 10-12 years old, watching the Peanuts Christmas Special with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole gang. Linus gets up on the stage and proceeds to share a portion right out of the bible Luke chapter 2.
Linus says To Charlie Brown,
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night, and lo the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid, and the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, it is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
The words of Linus, the Word of God touched something in my child’s heart. There was something more to Christmas than all the glitter, the tree, the presents. I still didn’t really know what it was but I knew something was missing from Christmas. It would be many more Christmas’s before I came to realize that for my entire life I had celebrated a Christ-less Christmas.
I know that this has become a cliche' but, “Jesus is the reason for the season”. Christmas is about celebrating that God sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the gift of God that I pray you will receive and make a part of your life now and for the entire year.
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night, and lo the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid, and the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, it is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
The words of Linus, the Word of God touched something in my child’s heart. There was something more to Christmas than all the glitter, the tree, the presents. I still didn’t really know what it was but I knew something was missing from Christmas. It would be many more Christmas’s before I came to realize that for my entire life I had celebrated a Christ-less Christmas.
I know that this has become a cliche' but, “Jesus is the reason for the season”. Christmas is about celebrating that God sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the gift of God that I pray you will receive and make a part of your life now and for the entire year.