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Written by Nancy Ruegg @ http://nancyaruegg.com
View original post @ http://nancyaruegg.com/2014/12/11/all-things-christmas/
All Things Christmas
December 11, 2014 by Nancy Ruegg
I love all things Christmas–with a few exceptions for the silly (Dancing Santas I can do without.), the gaudy and over-glittered (unless my children made it), and the highly repetitious (Did you know “The Little Drummer Boy” includes twenty-one pa-rum-pa-pum-pums?).
But I do look forward to:
- Evergreen wreaths with cheery red bows perched on light poles in the business district.
- Colorful lights twinkling from bushes and rooftops.
- Vanilla-spice Christmas cookies, crisping in the oven and filling the house with sweet fragrance.
- Candles glowing from table and shelf.
- Delicate, porcelain figures, circled around Baby Jesus in our treasured family crèche.
- Beloved carols resounding through the house or sung at church with family and friends.
- Family gathered from near and far, nestled around the Christmas tree to hear the beloved story of the Nativity once more.
You get the idea.
I’m now getting to the age when all these things are very familiar. I’ve enjoyed them again and again over the decades. Yet they never lose their appeal. Every year, as Christmas approaches, I eagerly anticipate the repetition of each experience.
Why? Why hasn’t boredom set in? It’s not an easy question to answer. But these reasons occur to me as possibilities:
- My relationship with Jesus influences my response to these Christmas traditions. My joy in the season is greatly augmented because I know him. And celebrating Someone whom I love and worship is far superior to celebrating a stranger.
- The Christmas story and its themes of peace, joy, and hope, provide stability in an uncertain, even fearful world. We Christians enjoy the benefit of Christ’s peace, joy, and hope in our hearts every day (Romans 5:1-2). That, too, is something wondrous to celebrate.
But that’s not all! Jesus is coming again and all the perfections of heaven await those who believe in him. Did you know that for every single prophecy in scripture that foretold Jesus’ birth, there are eight which look forward to his return? Also consider: every prophecy about Jesus’ birth came true; therefore, we can be confident every prophecy about his second coming will also come true. Christmas is a celebration that not only looks back with great joy, but forward with great hope.
- Our King of kings and Lord of lords left his perfect heavenly home to dwell among us. He became human that we might be glorified (Philippians 2:6-9; Romans 8:30). He has made it possible for us to enjoy every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). And, He is our:
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