聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽(EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE: Reflections on a blog post by Christa Hesselink, 鈥淲hy We鈥檙e Drawn to Mistletoe, Twinkly Lights and Gingerbread,鈥� posted 11/26/2016.)
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Some people can hardly wait to crack open his or her box 鈥� make that boxes 鈥� of Christmas decorations. My younger sister would love to put up Christmas decorations and break out the Christmas music in October, but she restrains herself until November鈥� most years.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 What is it about the glitz and glitter, the cookies and candy, the mistletoe and the music 鈥� and the movies 鈥� at Christmas time?聽 I think it鈥檚 all about hope, or waiting and wanting something special to happen. According to Christa Hesselink, 鈥淭hey鈥檙e looking for the mysterious and the magical to sweep them away!鈥� Perhaps we all are!
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There鈥檚 something in us that craves the beautiful, the peaceful and the sweet. We look around us and it can be discouraging as news tends to pick up on the negatives. We want something that鈥檚 too good to be true to actually be true! Isn鈥檛 that what people mean by the 鈥渕agic of Christmas?鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hesselink describes our desires as follows: 鈥淲e want the snow to fall softly and perfectly. We want the hot cocoa by the fire to calm us. We want the mistletoe to be firing on all cylinders and be fully operational(!), and we want a table full of our family and friends to fill the house with laughter. Isn't every single Christmas movie about the quest for the "perfect" Christmas and all the conflict to overcome to get it?鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 All of us need a miracle!
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Another name for this season just before Christmas is 鈥淎dvent,鈥� which means arrival, start, beginning and dawn. It鈥檚 a season that looks, not at the end of a year, but to the beginning of something new. This is not only a season of hope, but a season of promise.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e wait in the dark longing for the light. We long for the miraculous to break in and change things 鈥� for love to break in and heal a messed up world 鈥� for peace to fill our globe and our hearts 鈥� for joy to bubble over and drive out our fears,鈥� says Christa Hesselink.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the Bible, the prophet Isaiah spoke to this inherent need in all of us. 鈥淭he people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned鈥� (Isaiah 9:2). Then a few verses later we find out who the light is:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔or to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.
聽 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nd He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.聽 鈥淥f the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end.鈥澛� (Isaiah 9:6-7)
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐hristmas, Advent, is the celebration of Jesus鈥� arrival, past and present. It鈥檚 about God breaking into real life long ago and again into your life and mine today. He broke into this world and pierced it with new light and life and He continues to knock at our doors, hoping to break into our lives in fresh new ways. As we look around us at Christmastime, we catch glimpses of this love and life and light and hope, all of which can all be found in Jesus Christ.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his new beginning has already cracked open. 聽Shades of love have already been seen, echoes of peace have been heard, and vibrations of joy have been felt. 聽I believe this is why we celebrate. This is why we love the twinkly lights and the traditions. This is why we set apart the season - because deep down our hearts recognize what is good, and true, and right - and we long for it all to be made right.聽 鈥淲e keep 小蓝视频 drawn to the light because this is where we belong. We keep waiting for the promise to come true,鈥� says Hesselink.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 One of my favourite verses in the Bible is found in Jeremiah 29:13. 鈥淎nd you will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.鈥� Here is hope! I鈥檓 so glad God has promised to make Himself known to us. And that鈥檚 just what He did in Jesus. God became a human 小蓝视频. He lived among us and showed us who He is in a way we can see. Read about Him this Advent season 鈥� read through one of the gospels in the Bible 鈥� Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 And so, when you experience the glitz and glitter, cookies and candy, mistletoe and music, may you be reminded of the only One 鈥渨ho is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine鈥︹�� (Ephesians 3:20). May you seek Him and find Him this Christmas. Merry Christmas!
