What a wonderful day we had celebrating Christmas Eve with some of our kids and grandkids. We had such a joy-filled time. The kids gifts to us were all so special and you could truly feel the thought and time put into them to make them so meaningful. My love tank is all filled up.
I am laying here at midnight, it’s Christmas and I’m unable to sleep and I began to think about the day and realized with all the merry making, cookie decorating, gift exchanging, Christmas movie watching, where was Jesus in it? Did I fail to bring Jesus into the center of our celebrating?
I began to pray and ask for forgiveness for my failure and thanking him for all my blessings and the good gifts he has given me. Then in my contemplating about all the things we all make Christmas into, the gifts, the decorations, the marketing, the Santa’s, Frosty’s, Rudolph’s, the things that are such a “fun” part of the season, I realized that Christ is there, at the root of it all. All those “things” that we include in celebrating the season, in one way or another, bring joy and peace and love and generosity and hope and charity and goodness even to those who don’t celebrate Christmas for Christ. Even to the nonbeliever.
Christmas brings us all together, believer and nonbeliever. Within the Spirit of the Christmas season, is Christ. At the root of “Christ”mas is Christ! In whatever brings joy to the world during the season and makes all people participate in the celebration, at the root of it all is Christ. Because there wouldn’t be a Christmas to celebrate without him. Every person knows that that is the true reason we celebrate. Just as someday every knee will bow and proclaim Jesus is Lord. Thinking about Christ as the root of Christmas reminded me about what the prophet Isaiah said about Jesus being the Root:
“In that day the Root of Jesse (the heir to David’s throne) will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.” Isaiah 11:10
So even the gift exchanging, cookie decorating, movie watching, decorations and food in our celebrating today, the Santas and Charlie Browns and grinches of the season, whatever it may be that brings everyone together in celebration of Christmas has Christ at the root. He is the reason the celebration exists! He is the root of joy and love and the charity of the season. He was the ultimate gift to the world. Everything the Christmas season brings, all the feels, even the magic and nostalgia of the season, comes from the joy and hope and peace that Christ gave us! And so we feel it! And so we celebrate it! And there He is at the root! The Root of Jesse. The root of Christmas. Jesus!
Merry Christmas everyone!
The hope of the season, the hope beyond Christmas, all glory to Him!
Hope Beyond This 