There is a terrible countdown going on all over our nation. There are less than 20 shopping days left until Christmas. Madison Avenue is trying to strike panic in the hearts of mothers and fathers all across America. There are trees to be trimmed, packages to be wrapped, cookies to be baked and many thousands of calories to be consumed. And there is always the ultimate defeat waiting to be experienced, what if you just can’t find the new tickle me Elmo doll? It seems as if there is almost a conspiracy created to cause stress in our lives during a season supposedly dedicated to the coming of Christ into our lives, the same Christ who is supposed to surround us and our loved ones with his peace and presence.

There was a lot of stress surrounding Mary and Joseph on that first Christmas as well. But their stress came from entirely different circumstances; it arose from their desperate needs and not their desires. A long way from friends and family, with no place to stay, in labor with her first child, Mary and Joseph certainly had reasons to be concerned. Yet even in difficulties like these God calls us to walk in faith. Jesus, whose advent into our lives we are celebrating, said: O ye of little faith… Do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:31-34)

God chose to come to us in the person of Jesus Christ to enable us to enter into a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with God, a relationship that brings joy and hope into our lives even when circumstances are difficult. This is not a promise that all things will go well in our lives, or that somehow we will become perfect people. It is a promise of God’s presence in our life the way they are, not as we might wish them to be. Worry and stress most often come about when we try to force our lives into an idealized pattern that does not match the way things really are. This is especially liable to happen around Christmas. At our house we call it the happy family syndrome. There is a vision of a family gathered all together in one place with no discord or difficulties, each with the perfect present and filled with contentment from the perfect meal where we all gathered around the table in one place. The problem is that this never happens except on television or in our dreams. In that media even the stable that first Christmas was clean and well lit with contented animals gathered around as they watched Mary in a painless problem free childbirth.

God comes into our lives as things are, not as we wish them to be. Our problems don’t disappear, instead God walks through them by our side. The miracle of Christmas is about relationships, the message of the angels made that very clear.

They cried out to all the world: Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:11 – 14)
Christmas is about a renewed relationship with God and a right relationship with those around us that can only flow through us from the heart of God. There is no perfect family and some where within ourselves we will always find something that makes us feel less than whole. Yet true love embraces the reality of a person and not the illusion. The stable was dirty and Mary cried out in pain, but the savior was born. Our holidays will not be perfect, someone will be late or absent and not all the presents will be perfect, but the Lord will still be present. Focus on relationships this Christmas, with God and with one another. And know that Christ is born, God’s beloved Son so that, in his own words; so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:11)

May Christ fill your heart with Joy this Christmas and may you be surrounded by his peace and the presence of those you love.

Pastor Jim Bliss
December 2006