Is Christmas Only a Sweet and Sentimental Tradition?
Christmas Began At Creation
With a word, God created light out of the darkness. He spoke and the world came into being. But when He made man, He stooped to the ground, and taking rich soil in His hands, formed a shape. Smiling, He leaned down until His lips touched the form and gave the first kiss of life. God breathed and man became a living being (Gen. 2:7).
As He looked at His creation, He said, “Everything is good.” The earth, the planets, all the creatures, the man and his wife were pure. Everything was sanctified by the Logos.
Today, our world is full of fear, shame, and pain. Sin did not just corrupt Adam, for as he yielded his right to rule the world to Satan, evil flourished. Our world was corrupted and began to decay.
But God!
Rather than scrap everything, God initiated His plan to buy back His creation. The problem was the Divine dwells outside of time and space. To communicate with man who lives in time and space, God became man.
Amazingly, He chose to begin life as a fertilized egg – in the womb of a young virgin. Rather than be born in a palace, Divinity broke through time and space, to come as a helpless baby, born in a cave.
Why?
John said in the beginning was the Word, the Logos. The Logos was God, who is the Creator. The Logos became man and dwelt among us. Christ grew up and walked upon this earth in purity.
He died a violent death to redeem us from the curse of sin. Buried in the bowels of the earth, a cave was His final resting place.
Everything God does is complete. God gave His Son, Jesus, to be born as a helpless baby in a cave. He walked the earth, died on a Cross stuck in the ground, and was buried in the earth to redeem you and all mankind.
He also wanted to redeem the world, to buy it back from the evil one. The birth of Jesus initiated the way to redeem, sanctify and reclaim all of Creation. His work was completed as He burst forth out of the cave.
Holy Ground
Where God resides becomes holy ground. Does He live in you?
How is that relevant if you are fighting for your life? I am glad you asked!
Jesus, conceived in the womb of a young woman, born in the womb of the earth, buried in the bowels of the earth, entered Sheol, where He conquered fear and darkness and every evil within Creation.
With His resurrection, He broke the chains of the enemy of our soul, chains of sin, death, and defeat locking us into our brokenness and pain. Jesus, Son of God and Son of man, in His resurrection life triumphs over all enemies. He transforms darkness into light and is able to turn every place of brokenness – in mankind or in the earth – into holy ground under His merciful authority.
Greater Than All the Darkness
Christmas is a reminder Jesus became man and came to earth because He loves you. He knows your pain, your fears, your secret longings. He wants to set you free from your past, from the struggles of today, and the fears of tomorrow.
Jesus is greater than all the darkness and pain encroaching on your life. No matter what may have touched you in the past, or what tomorrow may hold, Jesus loves you with a love that took Him to Calvary for you. If you allow Him to touch your wound, your loneliness, and your fears, He will break the power of darkness so you can embrace the wonder of His love.
Today, choose life. Jesus will walk with you. He will forgive you and redeem each memory, each hurt, and hidden wound. He will take what Satan meant for evil, and with His touch, turn that place of defeat hidden underground in your heart, and transform it into a place of victory.
Longing for a Saviour
Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to experience the joy and hope of redemption. In your greatest need, Jesus brings life. Each place you set your foot – in Jesus’ Name – will become holy ground.
Let us adore Jesus and celebrate His birth. Then let us go forth in His name and share the good news of His birth.
The world longs for a Saviour. Christ, the baby, wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger – hidden away in a cave – became the Saviour of the world. He desires for you to be His messenger of light and hope to a lost world.
Dear heart, invite Jesus into your pain and defeat. He will transform the dark into Light and Life, so you overflow with His love in your interaction with others. May the Lord richly bless you with His loving presence and His healing touch.
Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
This is such a beautiful post! I love how you brought out the connection between Christ being born in a cave and Adam being made from the dust. This was my favorite paragraph:
“Jesus, conceived in the womb of a young woman, born in the womb of the earth, buried in the bowels of the earth, entered Sheol, where He conquered fear and darkness and every evil within Creation.”
Wow!
Thanks, Joy. Yes, it is incredible to think of Christ coming as a helpless babe into the womb of a virgin, being born in a humble place, and then after walking this earth, dying and being buried and entering Sheol for us. There is no place in our world too dark, and no life too broken and defiled, which He cannot touch and and bring light in the place of darkness and life in the place of death – all by the power of His love.
He is a wonderful Saviour!
One of the best, certainly the most beautiful!
Hi Liz. I am thrilled the Lord’s commitment to us is so deep and so complete, He enters into every area of darkness we may experience and conquers it with His love, His light, His presence – and His victory. He is so incredibly wonderful.
May you recognize He walks with you through the dark places you face, may those areas of fear and uncertainty be turned into calm assurance by His presence. Love you, Liz.