Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Tis the Season


I'm not sure who actually said, "Time flies," but that guy was spot on. It seems that just yesterday I was bemoaning the fact that summer was coming to a close. Now it's 30 degrees outside, Starbucks is serving Christmas Blend and I have a Pumpkin Pie hangover from Thanksgiving. It doesn't help much that I just attended my 25 year high school class reunion. Good times, but where in the world did 25 years go?

Every year Christmas seems to be right on top of me before I even realize it. Our church, like many others, celebrates the season of Advent. As followers of Christ it is helpful for us to focus our hearts on the center-piece of the Christmas season, and do so with joyful anticipation. It sure is easy to just get caught up in presents and parties. What's even worse is when Christians get sucked into a whirlwind of cantatas, dinners, shoebox gifts, church plays and caroling, without spending adequate time thinking about Christ. Not that we
only ponder the coming of our Savior during the month of December. But certainly this time of year, more than any other, we ought to deeply consider the purpose for which the Lord Jesus came, why he was born in such a unique way and how mankind was impacted by "Immanuel, God with us."

While I seek to do this every Christmas, this year I hope to get a fresh glimpse of the incarnation of Christ. If time permits, between hanging mistletoe, caroling and sipping eggnog, I'll try to post some thoughts. I trust you will join me in considering the implications of the gracious gift of God.

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