It happens every year after Thanksgiving; a clerk says “Happy Holidays” and offends a customer who wanted to hear “Merry Christmas.” The doorman says, “Merry Christmas” before realizing the patron is celebrating Hanukah or doesn’t celebrate any holiday at all. There have been lawsuits, fired employees, school parties renamed and certain songs banned all because they contained the word, “Christmas.” What is it about a 9 letter word that inspires such strong emotions?
It is never really the word for a word is just an arrangement of letters. No, the emotion is inspired by what THE WORD signifies. The Bible tells us in John 1, “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” THE WORD BRINGS HOPE to a world that was without hope. Ephesians 2:12 tells us, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” THE WORD IS LOVE, John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. THE WORD FILLS US WITH JOY, Luke 2:10 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Finally, THE WORD GIVES PEACE, Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Yes, there are many catchy religious phrases, slogans, and words flying around during the month of December. We hear that “Jesus is the reason for the season” and “Let’s put Christ back in Christmas.” We declare that “Jesus is the best gift of all” and that “Wisemen still seek Him.” The phrases make wonderful Christmas cards and give us a sense of well-being if we repeat them often enough, but what are we really saying? If we only remember Jesus during the season and put Christ away with the ornaments once the celebration is over; if the “best gift of all” is tossed in the corner with all the other toys and our seeking ends at the manger, the phrases, slogans and carols are just words. This year make the season come alive, after all the wrapping paper has been torn and the gifts are open, thank God for sending salvation to the world. Make Christ more than just the first six letters of Christmas; give him center place in your life. The Bible promises that if we seek Him with our whole heart, we WILL find Him just as the wisemen did more than two thousand years ago. You can allow THE WORD to become flesh in your heart this Christmas.
