A Christmas Junky

OK, I admit that I am a Christmas Junky! It is one of my favorite times of the year. There is something about it that I just can’t walk away from. I guess you could say that I am hooked! I don’t seem to get tired of it and every year I am taken back when I think about the message. I don’t believe it has anything to do with the mindless shopping that goes on during this season, even though I do enjoy being where there are a lot of people. I don’t believe it has anything to do with the snow or the decorations on the houses because in Sweden (at least while I am writing this letter to you) there is no snow yet and the Swedes are not as loud with their decorations as we Americans can be. I don’t believe it just has to do with the family getting together for a few days and enjoying each other and all the good food that we eat during that time, although that is something I enjoy and look forward too.

No, I think it is something much bigger than all the above. You see there is something in the story of Christmas that I just can’t get enough of. Are you curious as to what that is? OK, here it is, I believe that it is the JOY that comes to me at Christmas. That’s right, I am filled with JOY when I realize that God loved me and you so much that He actually came down to earth, was born of a virgin and grew up among regular everyday people in area of Galilee. If I understand the story right he grew up in a poor family and endured all the things that we people have to endure and then went one step further, He died a horrible death on a cross. He did all this so that He could do for me and you what no one else could do; He made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him that will never end. Are you starting to feel a bit of that JOY I am talking about? Yes, I admit this stuff makes me high! I can’t get enough of it!

In Luke chapter 2 verses 8 through 14 when the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and gave them quite a fright, this was his message, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great JOY that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” It was good news of great JOY! When the shepherds went away after having seen Jesus we are told that they returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen… Wow! The shepherds had also become Christmas Junkies that night. They got a taste of that JOY and started glorifying and praising God. I can imagine that this was not a normal night for a shepherd in those days. But they had just seen God in the flesh of man. They had just seen the one that would free us of all our sins and change us into the people that we were meant to be.

May this Christmas be a time of JOY for you. Not the kind of JOY that the world gives because that is so often short lived and shallow. No, I am thinking of a JOY that comes from God Himself, a JOY that He created and experiences Himself and offers to us in a relationship with Jesus Christ. The Christmas story is a story of good news and of great JOY that is for all the people. May you experience the JOY of Christmas and may you also share this great JOY with others.