John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV)

As Advent begins, it truthfully scares me that amid all the hustle and bustle we can so easily lose the true meaning of Christmas.

People who celebrate Christmas as a holiday filled with gifts, Christmas trees, and decorations sometimes get caught up in worldly themes, and by the time Christmas Day is over, they haven't had time to stop and think about the real meaning of Christmas.

Don't get me wrong: I love to see families together, with Christmas dinner, the tree, and all the gifts given, according to our traditions.

But let's not forget that it's a time to give gifts not only to those we love, but also to those who have very little. In addition, we need to be sharing with others the reason why God sent His Son Jesus to earth those many years ago, and also sharing God's gift to us of knowing that the presence of God can still be with us today.

Here are the words that tell of the reaction of the shepherds to the angels' good news of Jesus' birth:

Luke 2:16-17 – So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. (NIV)

As we enter this Advent season, may this be the year we come to celebrate the true meaning of the real story of Christmas in this Scripture: the birth of Jesus the Christ. May we Christians take the time to receive the gift God has so freely given by His grace to us, and then spread the word to others who have not found out yet, especially in this busy world that is trying to make this season just a happy holiday.

Prayer: Lord, if we only have one thing to give, let it be the story of the One who has saved us to eternal life and freed us from sin: Jesus the Christ, in Whose name we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Anne Russell <annerussell80@gmail.com>
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
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