As children, the time between Christmases takes a whole lifetime to pass, and the magical season itself lasts for what seems like a year. Everything is sparkles and exclamation points, and the joy we conduct could power a Tanglewood light show. Christmas seems truly magical.
As we get older, the shopping, entertaining, and staying “merry” take more energy than we can muster, much less spare. The magic of Christmas is lost in the tangles of stress it produces. We tend to mourn the lost simplicity and cheer of childhood. I was sure stuck in a rut of confused depression for a few Christmases.
But then I started to understand things differently. As I’ve grown up and realized what a broken person I am, Christmas has started to mean more. It means even more now than it did when it was all sparkles and exclamation points.
God himself looked down through the mystical gauze of time and space and saw how helpless, hopeless I would be. He knew there was absolutely no way in heaven or earth that I could become righteous on my own. But for some reason, he loved me. He loved me with a fierce gentle love. He loved me so much that he would not leave me to suffer and fail. He loved me so much that he sent a piece of his own self to make things right.
As I’ve grown up, I’ve realized just how dangerously imperfect I am. I’ve realized what a phenomenally powerful, forgiving, loving Savior it would take to make me whole. God sending his son to stand between us and death is nothing short of a miracle. It’s even more magical than we realized as children.
Ironically, the gut-wrenching reality check of “Wow, I’m So Messed Up” made Christmas more special and magical for me. Feeling Christmas like a child was beautiful and perfect—while I was a child. But I think it’s important to grow in your celebration of Christmas. God will give us perceptions that match our spiritual maturity. I’ve loved learning to see Christmas like a teenager, and I’m fascinated and excited to see what “Christmas like an adult” will look like for me.
So this Christmas, don’t get too lost in the nostalgia. This Christmas, let God show you what he wants you to see. The magic of Christmas isn’t over when you turn twelve. God has beautiful epiphanies to reveal at every age; we just have to keep our hearts open.
~Stephanie
P.S. Thanks for following, James, whom I can't find a link for! XD
yet again, your perfect use of words and the feeling in your words, moves me. You are so right. Christmas is about what God did for each and every one of us, because of His undying love for us. a pure love, described in 1 Corinthians 13. It baffles me, how someone so great, could love ME so much.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Stephanie. It's been about a year since I started following you, and I'm so glad I found you. You've become a great friend , considering that we've never met ;)
my pastor talked about almost exactly the same things you just mentioned here and it got me thinking about what the heart of Christmas is to me. It evolves and changes with us as we grow older, but Jesus is the reason for the season. well said sister :)
ReplyDeleteAlana: Thank you so much :) You made my day. I know, God is incredible. I'm glad we're friends too :)
ReplyDeleteNatalie: Cool coincidence! Christmas is such a thought-provoking season. An over-analyzer's dream. Thanks for the compliment :)
~Stephanie