... ringing tills, and the expectation that everyone will have a good time. But that’s not how it feels for many people.
Maybe your year has been hard –for whatever reason (bereavement, illness, estrangement, worry) – and Christmas seems to highlight the difficulties. Or maybe in an over busy life, you just want space to reflect, recall, regroup.
Whatever the reason, whatever the need, we hope that you will be able to find the space and the hope which the Christmas story offers.
We are thankful that we have a loving God, who knows our needs, hears our cries and heals our wounds. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.
We light candles as a sign that when all seems dark, there is still light, however small or dim it may seem.
Sometimes when we feel sad, it is actually a result of selfishness. When this is the case, we need to remember the gospel and how it speaks to this struggle. Christmas is about Jesus entering the world, fulfilling the promise of God to redeem his people, and establishing God’s kingdom.
Acts 20:35 reminds us of Jesus’ own words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Our Lord and Saviour lived this out in his own self-giving. Christmas is about generosity. The giving of gifts is not because we have to, but because we genuinely want to share our joy with others.
We need to remember that Christ is the best gift of all. God has come in the form of a baby. He has lived a sinless life, died a shameful and undeserved death, and paid a debt we could not have otherwise paid to our holy and perfect God. Because he was resurrected from the dead, the curse of sin has been put to death, and he has made a restored relationship with our heavenly Father possible. That’s the best gift we could ever receive.
When we remember the good news of the gospel, it changes our perspective. Because we’ve experienced Christ’s love, we can extend grace to everyone. And when we’re reminded of this truth, we can combat the selfish thoughts we often have running through our minds. When we think about what Christ has given to us, we can remember that a gift is just that — a gift — not something deserved, but a grace that is freely given. It’s a gracious demonstration of love, not an obligation.
With love, Angie
