Christmas Is Coming!

Christmas is now right around the corner.  Christmas trees are being decorated, gifts are being bought, and churches are preparing for special services.  The excitement is building as we have now entered what has been called, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!” and “The Season of Joy!”  Christmas is coming!

Yet, I’ve recently been reminded that, just because Christmas is coming doesn’t mean that all is perfect with the world—or with our lives. These days it can be hard to watch the news as one bad news story follows another. Even harder can be dealing with the pain and tragedies that strike our own lives.  Even now in the midst of this “Season of Joy!” my family is once again facing some great challenges as my mother fell last week, broke her hip, and subsequently had surgery. She is now in the same nursing and rehabilitation facility she was in earlier this year (and in which my father passed away in May). It’s been a tough couple of weeks—and a tough year. Yet, Christmas is still coming!   

If you think about it, however, Christmas was never about a snow-globe world or a “Winter Wonderland.” In fact, the first Christmas was about God’s Son coming into a world that was filled with difficulty, turmoil, and pain. It was about God coming into our world, in spite of all the sin and sorrow.  That first Christmas was about the Kingdom of God breaking into a world that needed healing, comfort, forgiveness, and newness of life. 

That’s why Jesus preached, “The Kingdom of God is near!” He went on to say, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10 – NIV)  And, he very purposefully applied to himself the prophet’s words: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19 – NIV)  Jesus came into a broken world for broken people. No amount of sin or sorrow could keep him from coming. 

In spite of all that was wrong with our world then, Jesus was born; Christmas came! And, so it will be this year. In spite of all that is wrong with our world—and our lives—Christmas will come.  And as it does, it will remind us that Jesus came for people just like us who are yet living in a world filled with sin, sorrow, and pain.  Jesus came for us. 

I’m glad Christmas is coming!

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris

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