by Loretta Bushlack, Family Life Director
“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”
That plaintive cry of Charlie Brown gets me every time. No matter where he looks, Christmas is about greed and commercialism. Charlie Brown’s classmates, his baby sister, and even his dog have adopted a love for the season that he knows isn’t right.
I confess I buy into the hype too. I find my hope in finding the perfect gifts. I find my peace in a perfect spot by the fireplace. I find my joy in the beautiful melodies. And I find all the love I think I need in the thought of my family being all together again at last.
Maybe not quite the materialism that exasperated Charlie Brown..But still not quite right.
Christmas is about the God of the universe, understanding our helpless situation, and going out of His way–way out of His way–to fix it.
Christmas is about a love that we can’t fully imagine. It is a mystery and a miracle.
The second person of the trinity, who was in perfect glory with the Father, left Heaven and came to earth.
He took on a body with flesh and blood.
He took on the body of a fetus and a newborn and a two year old and a twelve year old.
And all the limitations and pains, and…and…grossness that involves.
The One who spoke the Eagle Nebula into existence while myriads upon myriads of angels erupted into songs of amazed praise–that One joined us here on this earth where He would be confined to time and space and hunger and thirst. Without even indoor plumbing or air conditioning or Advil.
Because He loves us.
This quote from Charles Spurgeon expresses it well:
“He came down to the lowest state that He might lift us up to the highest. What amazing condescension! Christ took upon Himself our flesh that He might take upon Himself our sin, and by so doing, might bring us near to God in everlasting fellowship.”
Jesus saw our helpless situation. He came to fix it. He took on flesh and did everything to make an end to our biggest problems: sin and death. By being both human and divine, He is the one and only point in all of the universe where those two natures meet. He did everything to make a bridge between us and God.
And through Christ alone we will see the glory that He had with the Father from the beginning.
Because He loves us. Oh how He loves us.
This year, I will still hum the familiar songs and anticipate giving the perfect gift.I will still sip a warm beverage beside the fire and count the moments until my kids are home.
But may I never forget that the unfathomable love of Christ is what Christmas is all about.
“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).