The Reason for the Season

I have struggled with people who say that “they” are taking Christ out of Christmas. That’s like saying I’m taking the cocoa out of chocolate. We put it in there in the first place. For several millennia the Mesoamerican indigenous people have been cultivating the cocoa seeds and fermenting them into a drink that has since been further processed into the chocolate that we eat today. The original drink that the Aztecs and Mayan made was very bitter and would probably not be enjoyable to anyone outside of those indigenous cultures today.
The same might be said for our relationship with Jesus. We have made it accessible, friendly, jolly, and consumable. You can go down to the mall and buy a nativity while you get a gift for the kids to show them just how much you love them. You can go to midnight mass and light your candle to show the light coming into the world. But have you sat with your kids and told them you will support them as they reach for their dreams? Have you taken that light and invited people to church for the Wednesday night meal? Have you bought the groceries for the lady in front of you at Wal-Mart instead of getting your kids another video game? Jesus isn’t accessible; he wants access to our hearts. Jesus isn’t friendly; he wants to challenge us to be better like only a true friend can. Jesus isn’t jolly; the peace he offers is pure joy for all eternity. Jesus isn’t easily consumable, he is all consuming burning us up and separating us from the burdens of sin as we move thru the fire closer to him.
God as we have chosen to celebrate your birth in this season please remind us that you are here everyday as we make the choice to open up our hearts to your glory. Be with us as we go forward and bring about your will here on earth as it is in heaven.

Created over 2 years ago