Email

Bookmark

Print

Christmas Beauty

The other day I drove down the main drag of our town past the seasonal displays and signs adorning the shops and malls, each telling me where I could find “the perfect gift.”  Since almost every store had the same message I surmised I could get the perfect gift pretty much anywhere. That’s terrific, I thought. One less thing for shopping-challenged men to worry about. If only it were that simple.

The Beauty of Christmas
But occasionally a store will have an ad or sign that compels me to try their product. One business on the outskirts of town had such a message. On their sign was a simple invitation: “Come in and enjoy the beauty of Christmas.” I stopped the car and played the words over and over in my mind. They were in stark contrast to the commercial signage I’d seen. I wasn’t being asked to buy something, take advantage of a special offer or find the gift I’d been looking for. It was simply a gentle request to stop a moment, leave the hustle and bustle behind and relish the beauty of the season. I could experience it behind those doors. It was an irresistible thought.

By now you’re probably wondering what kind of store it was. In this instance, the message belonged to a garden centre. When you came into their shop your senses were immediately engaged. The eye-catching reds and greens of poinsettias, the soothing scent of pine and fir trees, accentuated the quietness of the place. It seemed like a walk through a forest. Gone was the noisy hum of the mall. You couldn’t help but linger a while and let the atmosphere seep into your soul like a warm, relaxing bath. Mmmmm.

Come in and enjoy the beauty of Christmas!

Share the Beauty
Those words transcend the commercial elements of the season. Some people apply that invitation to their own homes. They have “open houses” where neighbors and friends drop in to visit, enjoy a glass of eggnog or hot cider and sample some scrumptious seasonal pastries. For many, it’s the only time they get to connect with these folks all year. What a great way to share the gift of love and friendship and appreciate the value of relationships. Others reflect the beauty of Christmas through selfless acts of service to the less fortunate, the homeless, shut-ins or those who have no family or friends with whom to spend the holidays. Quite a few years ago, when I was single and living on my own some 3,000 miles form family, I was overwhelmed by the love extended to me by one family who not only invited me over for dinner but purchased gifts for me and treated me as if I were one of their own. I had done nothing to deserve their affection. Their display of genuine unconditional love and generosity touched me deeply.

Come in and enjoy the beauty of Christmas!

That’s a rough paraphrase of what the angels announced to some lowly shepherds on the hillside outside of Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago.

“I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!” the angel told them. “The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!”

The shepherds couldn’t wait to act on this invitation.

"They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph,” Luke’s gospel records, “And there was the baby lying in the manger.”

Imagine being there basking in the wonder of it all, as the shepherds did. How would you respond?

Later,

“The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel has said.”

The Light of the World
The wonder and beauty the shepherds experienced that first Christmas certainly had nothing to do with a smelly old manger, but everything to do with the manger’s newest resident. The Lord of heaven and earth, God himself had become a newborn baby. His purpose would be to bring people back to God, into a personal relationship with Him. He would be called the light of the world, for in Him one could find the way to heaven, the embodiment of truth and a full and meaningful life that would extend into eternity. He would live a sinless life then pay the penalty for our sins by dying a horrible death on the cross. (If you’ve seen the move, The Passion you understand the extend of this sacrifice.)

It was God’s great love for your and me that compelled him to do so:

“For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son, that whosever believed in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

God wants to restore the relationship with humankind that was destroyed by sin. By dying for our sins Jesus bridged the rift that separates us from God. And to enter this new relationship all we need do is ask Him to forgive our sins and receive Him into our lives.

“But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan – this rebirth comes from God” (John 1:12-13).

You can begin that relationship with God by faith, trusting Him to do what He promised to do. You can pray a simple prayer like this:

Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen.

This holiday season invite Jesus to come into your life. And when He does, You will enjoy the beauty of Christmas forever.

~ Jim Tulloch loves to write about Christmas and says much of his inspiration comes from his wife, Kim, whose Christmas spirit lasts all year long and from their four terrific teenagers. The editor of A Christmas Digest magazine, his heartwarming stories are a must read each holiday season.

Used with permission from A Christmas Digest 2004.