Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care…Even the angels long to look into these things (1 Peter 1:10, 12).
How
would Christ want us to prepare for Christmas? In what way might he want us to
remember his birth?
Obviously,
Christians around the world celebrate Christmas differently. Traditions,
customs, rituals, and symbols are as varied as the people who engage them. As
meaningful as these expressions are, they bear little importance if Christ
himself is not born again in our midst. Celebration is a distraction if not
accompanied by conversion; remembering is futile if we fail to experience
redemption.
Christmas
is indeed something to anticipate – the very wonder of Advent. It is
a season of joy for good reason: it is the news of a Saviour being born, of
light breaking into darkness, of God’s peace and goodwill to all. But joy is
more than merriment. For those who only want to have a good time or a feeling
of togetherness, Christmas brings little more than a temporary feeling of
cheer. Afterwards, life goes on as before. But for the one who feels bankrupt,
without really meaning or hope – either for themselves or for the
world – for the one who senses that something is terribly wrong with
the ways things are, Christmas can be genuinely life changing.
Advent
is a time of preparation, to meet Christ anew. It should point us to the fact
that the God of the universe finds himself most at home in people who feel
their need and are personally ready to come to the manger. Christmas is glad
tidings indeed, but only for those who are starkly honest with themselves and
recognise that life must change.
Charles Moore, When the
Time Was Fulfilled
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