Pastor's Perspective
October 23. I made a note on my calendar. This marks the day this year when I heard my first Christmas commercial. The ad was on the radio hyping SiriusXM’s Holly Christmas channel that plays nothing but holiday tunes. (sigh)
I remember as a child looking forward to Thanksgiving partly because it marked the beginning of the Christmas season. Holiday-themed advertising began the weekend after Thanksgiving Thursday. For many, along with too much turkey (and for some too much football), we now have too much Christmas. I’m not referring to the real reason for the season, but too much build-up too long. By the time
Christmas does arrive we are holidayed-out. Ready for it to be over. Get back to normal. Seek the simple.
Of course, the motivation behind all holiday buildup by the retail establishment is financial. Dollars spent during the few weeks leading up the Christmas brings in a disproportionate percentage of income
to retail businesses compared to the rest of the year. In fact, without the Christmas season, many stores simply wouldn’t remain open.
As important as a strong economy is to everyone, it pales in comparison to the importance of God’s Christmas gift of himself wrapped up in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. At Christmas, God came among us. God experienced life as a human with all the physical and emotional ups and downs. Without Christmas, there is no Easter.
We find ourselves in the season of Advent. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning “coming”. This is a time of expectant waiting and preparation to celebrate the coming of God in his son Jesus. How are you preparing for this momentous event? Prayer? Scripture reading? Serving others? Giving yourself away, because God gave himself away?
Save some of yourself to give to God as your spiritual worship and act of gratitude and thanksgiving for God’s gift of Jesus. I pray this season will be a most blessed time for you and yours.
Grace and peace,
Ricky
