[dropcap]C[/dropcap]hristmas is expeditiously nearing and the jovial feeling is even more charming our hearts all over again. The streets are much busy again with crowds jamming the marketplaces to make the best and most memorable Christmas. It is the time of year for houses to get new facelifts with every adornment to indicate the joy and peace of the season. Stars are lit up to proclaim that Christ is born, the Lord, the King and the Savior in the Family. Churches are strengthening every member and building every necessary bridge to celebrate and worship with the body of Christ. Similarly, People are excessively busy speeding up with works, making every effort to find this season in serenity. Likewise, it is the season to witness the Diasporas migrating toward their nativities as well. In a way, these speak volumes about what Christmas means to us.Couple of years back, The Lord honored me to come across some Bible students who have ducked their comfort zones to celebrate Christmas with the clients in a rehabilitation center at a remote place. Even this year, The Lord immeasurably blessed my heart when I came to know that a Church is assigning her members to spend Christmas in their mission field with their missionary.
What are your plans for this Christmas?
How many Christmas have you come across? How many have you sincerely spent with Christ? Have you wasted those joyous moments in pride, in arrogance, in the bad companies or with the wrong attitudes and lifestyles? Are you tired of the same Old Christmas you had? Are you in pursuit of a resting place this Christmas?
Let us return to the cross. Remember, ‘In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son (Gal 4:4)’ because he loves you and me. “Jesus Christ is God’s gift of Hope for you and me” (Jn 3:16). Wonder whether you have received your gift (Christ)! Had you been celebrating Christmas without embracing the Gift of God (the Hope in Christ)? Christ came to this world ‘.…to preach good news to the poor….to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19).” Have you ever reasoned that to validate this HOPE, Christ died on the Cross (Romans 5:8)? This Christmas, neither by-pass this Gift again in ignorance, in sinfulness nor restrain it in bitterness but soak and saturate in the Father’s love (gift) for you. Embrace the Father’s gift and allow Christ to draw you to his arms, make you strong and fill your heart.
What next! Make your Christmas gifts special. How? Not your gifts but then this time it will be God’s gift. Release the supernatural gifts of God you have been given to your near and dear ones, neighbors, friends and strangers. Just as you have gained from God, be willing to release forgiveness, peace, love and joy to all. Eph 4:32 reads ‘Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.’ The word ‘forgiving’ has the element of Grace meaning, “releasing unconditional favor that others do not deserve from us.” Be there to go the extra mile this Christmas with these gifts of God that you yourself unconditionally received from Him. Above all the foodstuffs, gifts, the warm fellowships and the exchange of season’s greetings, commit to:
release your debtors from the yoke
release every bitterness, grudges and animosity reserved against others
release forgiveness to those who caused hurts and wounds in your life, family
They do not deserve it from you but release these God’s unconditional gift of healings, restorations and forgiveness in you. Touch, heal and lift the spirits of the downtrodden too.
Finally, enlarge your Christmas tent. Take this Christmas beyond your circle. Forgive me if I sound allegorical but be the joy of Christmas just as the Star of Bethlehem was to the true seekers from the East. Bring forth much fruit as the light of the world fulfilling the Great Commission of Christ. Be the light and savor in leading others to Christ. In addition, do not forget to show your gratitude to the milkman, your barber, the cobbler, the newspaper hawker, the shopkeeper, Rickshaw Puller/driver, that Deshwali etc. Do not hesitate to reach out to them.
It will be overwhelming if some Churches come forward to perform a Christmas Cantata/Carol as a gift to the jawans at their military base/to our jawans outside our State, to the inmates or to a remote village. What a sense of affection will it bring if some Churches/any can host a special Christmas service and feast to some non-Christian communities in their locality?
“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” ― Stephen Grellet
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last. And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.” - C.T Studd
May you have a good time this Christmas with Him, in Him and for Him. Bring into being the consciousness and the fear of the Lord in all lifestyles and celebrate this Christmas with Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace (Nu 6:24-26).”
-Pete Z Krose
Kohima Bible College
