Christmas All Year Long

I’m boxing up the Christmas tree ornaments and collecting the remnants of tinsel from the carpeting. But, I’m not packing up my memories of Christmas—I pray that they remain all year long.

Imagine what it would look like to allow our Christmas memories to be present in our lives throughout the year. What would it look like for those memories to become continual reminders of the Christ of Christmas?

The Christ of Christmas: Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). As believers, we don’t choose to take Christ with us since He IS already with us every moment of every day. Our choice is whether or not to avail ourselves to His presence, His power, and His promises. We acknowledge that God is with us by choosing to trust in Him. Are you choosing to trust in Him throughout the moments of each day? Are you training your children to do the same?

Remember the joy of the season? God’s joy isn’t just for a particular season—His desire is that His children be joyful always (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Please don’t confuse joy with happiness. Happiness depends on whatever is happening at any given moment. Because God is the source of true joy, it can only be established and developed as we grow in our relationship with Him. As we choose to rely on Christ, He will give us His joy for the journey, regardless of our circumstances (Nehemiah 8:10).

Reflect for a moment on the peaceful manger scene, centered on the Prince of Peace: Jesus. Now consider the world we live in. This is where it becomes much more difficult to recognize peace. Many families, governments, and even churches are lacking peace, but you have the opportunity to bring peace to the lives of those around you. In Matthew 5:9 Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Will you choose to be an instrument of peace in the coming days and months?

May the Christ of Christmas be present in your hearts and lives all year long!