If the Christmas season comes across as cheap to you.... welcome to modern culture. Sorry for the title. You may have thought this was going to be a Pinterest-like article. But I'm no Scrooge. Really! There are, in fact, kind and generous acts, both from individuals and collectives, who probably represent Christ-likeness better than some gatherings of organized religion. I digress a little. But we all know this is true; Christmas is generally cheap, and the cheapness is rung in on Black Friday. Or is it on Cyber-Monday?
This is an important reminder! God did not just "cut us a deal" or randomly pardon us. Jesus was born to die, and died so we may have life. If you don't believe, in faith, the truth of who Jesus is... you'll never see God's love. You MUST believe. Period. If you DO choose to believe the truth of who Jesus is, and feel that you only call on God, and His forgiveness, as needed ....then you are either deliberately rebelling against God, un-regenerate / un-saved, or at the very least... need a healthy, caring, Christ-follower to move into your life; as life has surely fogged up your windshield. The old term for this is back-slidden. By the way... you never stop needing other Followers in your life. I've yet to "arrive". You can't be a true Follower / a Christian and hand-pick God's grace. Clarity is needed. Unbridaled surrender is needed. And don't think you've really ticked God off. If so ...then we all have. But this is His compelling love ..."even as we are sinners, Christ died for us." Repent and return. Read the Christmas Story ...through clear lenses.
So... in this season... enjoy the giving. Enjoy the receiving. Just see it through clean lenses.
"And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh."
-Matthew 2:11 ESV
