It’s the day after Christmas. The glow on the tree is just a little dimmer because the anticipation of the day is now past. So often, we act as though Christmas ends on the evening of December 25.
“Now, ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to our after-Christmas clearance sales, football games, and New Year’s Eve parties.”
But there’s a lot wrong with shutting down the Christmas spirit the day after. No wonder people get the Christmas blues.
To declare Christmas is over the day after Christmas is kind of like having a huge wedding, then the next day saying, we’re all done, time to get back to normal and act as if nothing remarkable happened, or that life would be any different. No, we want to enjoy the beginnings of the marriage and transition into a new life of two becoming one.
The liturgical church and Christian year calendars designate the 12 days between Christmas day and the day of Epiphany (January 6) as Christmastide (or Christmas Time). Historically, it was intended to be a time of celebration and feasting.
During this Christmas Time, we should reflect, contemplate and re-imagine the significance of this amazing, earth-shaking, history-making, life-changing, cosmic global event.
Christ is born!
The Messiah has come!
Joy to the World!
This is a big deal. In fact, the biggest of deals. Take time to let it impact you.
Think about Luke 2. Mary and Joseph’s journey, expecting a child any moment, nowhere to stay, and landing in the humbling maternity ward of a stable. Then the birth of the savior. Followed by the sounds and smells of barnyard animals, a choir of angels exploding into song from the heavens, and lowly shepherds as your first visitors.
Imagine yourself in that situation; exhausted and overwhelmed. But consider Mary’s response:
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
Stop. Breath. Notice. Appreciate. Contemplate. Experience the mystery and wonder of it all. God is there.
My friend, God is at work in your life, whether dramatically or invisibly. Think deeply about that.
I pray that you get to notice and treasure His activity in your world this Christmas season and ponder all these things in your heart.
–Stefanie Morsey, gsumcKIDS Minister
