Forgiven for Christmas

While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." Matthew 26:26-29 NAS95

It is December 20th as I write this musing. There is only one thing on my mind lately, it is summed up in a single word “forgiveness.”

All around me are the signs of the season. I was traveling three days ago across Oklahoma and Texas with my grandsons and my son-in-law, and we saw tremendous displays of Christmas lights just off the freeway. It was gorgeous. I have never seen anything better in terms of Christmas Lights. I have listened to a couple of Christmas musical specials this season, and the music is awesome and special, it made Christmas come alive.

People that I know seem to be in a better mood this Christmas than in past years, yet I wonder is it just me? Am I in a better mood this Christmas? Has something happened to make me more aware of the celebration or is it a world hoping for a better season as the pandemic is fading, or have we just gotten weary of the pandemic and decided to enjoy life and family anyway?

Whatever the cause, what I see around me makes me excited for Christmas. I also know what has my attention. It is forgiveness.

Christmas is in part a celebration of family and caring. Caring for the hopeless, the homeless, and caring for the less fortunate, etc. All wonderful things and deserving of praise and respect. However, Christmas will always have elements of getting that perfect gift that we don’t really need. It will always be commercialized by merchants selling us things we don’t need under the guise of false and deceptive ideologies that make us believe we will be more attractive, more acceptable, and better able to fit into our world.

The truth of Christmas will continue to be marginalized as the world becomes more secular. But, what is the truth of Christmas? Some might say it is an annual drive by churches to get people to attend. Christmas is the largest attendance day for most churches, followed by Easter. Why? Perhaps because we still have a curiosity about the baby, born in a stable, wrapped in cloths, laid in a manger (or feed box), who grew up to become a teacher who is still quoted today, and was crucified (killed) on a cross.

Perhaps, the reason people go to church on Christmas, perhaps the reason Christmas is so popular, perhaps the reason so much abounds to draw people away from the Christ of Christmas is found in one word, forgiveness.

I checked, Kwanzaa is about traditional African heritage and rituals, Hanukkah or Chanukah is a celebration of the rebuilding of the temple and is not in the To

rah, the Jewish scripture, Yule or the Winter Solstice is a celebration of the mythical Odin, the warrior god of the norse peoples. Yule has also become the winter celebration of wiccans, those that worship satan. None of these other celebrations espouse forgiveness as a part of the celebration.

Enter a church this Christmas and you will hear of a baby, born in a stable, laid in a manger, and crucified on a cross to offer salvation to a world in need of forgiveness for sin. The whole of Christmas revolves around the message of the Son of God coming into the world to bring salvation to all people.

Forget presents, food, candy, trees, lights, and all the trappings of Christmas. Bring on Forgiveness and let us celebrate the meaning behind the baby. Bring on Saint Nicolas, the original Santa Claus, and let him tell us of the baby born in the stable, laid in a manger. (Sorry if I offend you by mentioning Saint Nicolas, but this man of God gave coal to the ones who had no means of heating their homes for winter. He preached forgiveness and generosity to the poor and rich alike. His gifts of coal saved many from freezing, his preaching saved many from hell. Be offended if you like, but be certain of what offends you.)

This Christmas, who do you need to forgive? Your boss? Your spouse? Your child? Your parents? Your siblings? Your neighbor?

Make a list if you dare. You should have three days if you are reading it on my blog, and get busy and forgive a few people for Christmas. Both of you will receive a gift that is priceless. Merry Christmas.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." John 3:16-21 NAS95