Don't Miss Christmas - Part 2

Don’tcha just LOVE Christmas? So far, let me just list for you some of my favorite things I have already experienced as part of the Christmas season… 1. Just seeing my wife be so excited. This is truly her favorite time of the year. She’s like a kid in a candy shop! 2. The music. Our church has been just totally singing some great songs that just put you in the Christmas spirit like no other. And my wife teaches all these choirs, so I’ve had a healthy dose of some great Christmas music. 3. Decorations. I have to admit that I’m a little bit of a scrooge when it comes to decorations. My lazy bone kicks in, and I don’t want to start decorating as early as Sherry does. But I’ve really enjoyed it this year. I love turning that tree on each night. 4. Food. As I am writing this, my wife and daughter just finished a weekend baking spree, and boy I think I’ve already gone to heaven. They make this stuff that we named “White Christmas Crunch.” I’m pretty sure it was what Manna tasted like in the Old Testament (do you notice how we church people refer to Manna any time we taste something we like). I’ve eaten Buckeyes and Snickerdoodles. Time to loosen the belt buckle. 5. Family. I can’t wait to go see my family in southeastern and central Kentucky. I love getting together with them. And spending extra time with my wife and kids when school is out is always a blast. And I am blessed to have such an awesome relationship with my in-laws, and we have wonderful holiday plans with them. 6. Jesus. Now, I have to admit that I paused a while after number 5 and then suddenly remembered that I hadn’t even listed JESUS yet. Talk about missing Christmas. I feel like I’ve experienced Jesus more this Christmas season than ever before. Our church has taken the month of December to learn more about the different names of Jesus, and it has been such a blessing. 7. Serving. Our church has had some neat opportunities to serve and give to others during this Christmas season. And what a blessing it is to be a blessing to others. From giving to international missionaries to helping needy families in our own community, my church family has been busy helping and serving this month, and I love it. Last week, I wrote about how King Herod blatantly missed that first Christmas. After all, he wanted to have the baby Jesus killed. He missed Christmas for sure. Probably nobody reading this article wishes that Jesus was never born like Herod did. But there is one important thing you must know – without Christ, you too WILL miss Christmas. Do you know Him as your personal Savior and Lord? If not, the Bible says to simply call on His name, and you will be saved (Romans 10:13). It’s the easiest thing to do, getting saved. It’s the free gift from God to you and to me (Romans 6:23). But He doesn’t force Himself on anyone. You must accept this free gift and take hold of it. So why don’t more people embrace Christ? Because truth has fallen on hard times. Let’s face it! We live in a day and time when it is becoming politically incorrect to even say “Merry Christmas” anymore. It’s Happy Holidays instead. We live in a day and time when our kids will bring home from school coloring pages of a Menorah or a Santa Claus, but rarely will you see a Nativity. We live in a day and time when our state has to create special legislature just to say we affirm our long-standing motto of “In God We Trust.” To embrace Christ has become more and more of a decision to go against the flow of our culture. But that’s okay! I’d rather stand in the minority with Christ than in the majority without Him. Friends, if you have Christ, you have everything! Place your trust in Him and embrace the free gift of Him today, and no matter what your circumstances or what the mood of our culture is, nothing can thwart the abundant life (John 10:10) and the eternal life (John 3:16) that is ours all because of that baby Jesus born that first Christmas day! Call on His name, and let Him be YOUR Savior, YOUR King, and YOUR source of joy, peace, hope, and love. And you will never miss another Christmas!