The coming of Christ. Such a special time of year, IF we can take our eyes from the secular world of advertising and look to the hope, love, joy of this season And last but best of all the PEACE of Christ.

I made an acronym for Peace

Put

Everything

Aside

Jesus

Enters

Truly, if we can STOP, slow down and seek Jesus, He can give us the peace we need.

I read an interesting blog post recently by a woman whose family had decided not to celebrate Christmas. She had researched the holiday and found it had been started by the Romans around 300 AD. They took a pagan festival and put our Saviour into it to celebrate His birth. Jesus’ real birth probably is in October. If you are interested you can read her post at Why I don’t keep Christmas.

I still want a time to remember Christ’s birth and to me that is still Christmas.

But if you look at what we have done to the simple Christian celebration – we have made it into a pagan festival.

The simple gift giving, meant to remind us to share love with one another and to remember the Magis’ gifts, has turned into a frenzy of shopping, and stress.

Santa Claus or St. Nicholas who started the secret gift giving as a way to show love to all children, has turned into a commercial operation that starts at the time of Hallowe’en. And because parents want to please their children they overdo if they have the funds (and even if they don’t they charge it and that makes even more stress).

Parties, goodies and parades become overdone and exploited in the name of Christmas.

Yards are decorated but instead of the crèche, angels, carolers, shepherds, and Magi, we see Santa Claus, reindeer, presents, stuffed toys, Star Wars?, and a slew of other secular characters.

STOP

This is enough.

Let’s remember Jesus.

Let’s sing to Him in worship.

Let’s revive Christmas carols.

Let’s put out the story of Jesus on our front lawns.

Let’s send encouraging letters.

Let’s help out where help is needed.

Let’s give generously to those in need.

Let’s be Christ’s hands and feet on this earth.

Let’s be touched by the PEACE of Christ this Christmas.

 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’

Go search for The Christ. Seek Him. He has come. He is here.

May I pray for you,

Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing Jesus to earth. Thank you for coming in human form so You could get to know us and we could get to know You. Help us to have a blessed peace-filled Christmas. Help us to remember to seek You by reading Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Janis can be reached on her website, Growing Through God’s Word and on Facebook, Pinterest andTwitter