Christmas Magic

As a child, Christmas was always a magical time for me. It was always a time of eager anticipation and excitement unequaled during any other time of the year. As a grown man with a large family and many Christmas seasons behind me, I've had the joy of sharing that experience with my wife and our children many times over. But by now most of them are grown and are beginning to share that magic of Christmas with their own little ones. For me now, I am no longer a child and the current circumstances and troubling times of this life to the unknowing heart might give cause for despair. But for us, the children of God ... the magic remains undiminished regardless of age or circumstance!

While the world struggles to grasp the "meaning of Christmas", we as Christians true to Christs' heart are blessed to celebrate what we hold most dear above all else despite whatever circumstances we may be in at the moment. While the worlds' Christmas joy depends on being able to get or even to give the right gift, we know that we've already received the one gift that takes more than a lifetime, an eternity in fact, to fully expose to our hearts and minds. While the worlds' Xmas struggles to have meaning in all of its' expense, decoration, wrapping paper and bows, we can relax safe in the knowledge that we celebrate Christ. Xmas struggles to replicate the magic, jealous in its' nature of what cannot be purchased at any price anywhere in the world. But the gift we've received was given freely by the great and powerful God over all that is and stands unequaled for all time in its' worth.

Being God, He could have wrapped it in marvelous ways that men couldn't even begin to imagine. He could have heralded its' arrival in the most awesome and marvelous ways that only a God could do. He could have boasted about the most dear expense to Himself and sought to bring fame to Himself openly. But, He chose to bring it secretly, the only divinely majestic sign of its' arrival - a solitary star among billions of others in the cold night sky over Bethlehem. It was heralded by only a few angels and he chose simple lowly shepherds as His honored guests, these being His dignitaries of choice to bear witness to the arrival. He offered His gift with the deepest humility of a perfect all powerful God, as always giving us an example to follow.

In His example, He proved that love doesn't boast, it's kind and gentle and that the greatest gift we can give comes from the depths of our heart. It can't be bought with wealth, yet its' worth is unparalleled. And unlike things we can touch, it doesn't diminish or even tarnish with age, but becomes more brilliant with time as love grows. So the magic remains undiminished, but instead grows with time in its' intensity in the hearts that receive it. So whatever your circumstance this Christmas season, my family in Christ, however poor you may be in the wealth of this world, as a Child of the Divine Holy King, rejoice in the riches of the gift you've been given! Whatever struggles you may be encountering in this life, sing great praises and worship the God who already gave us the gift of victory over this momentary life to live eternally in His presence where struggles are no more. We are heirs to unimaginable wealth of spirit and all that heaven contains, because of the gift given quietly and humbly by the great God over all that is!

So whatever your circumstances, whatever your position in this world, celebrate the wealth of the gift you've received and experience the true magic of Christmas. Follow the example of our God and give the gift of greatest worth to all you encounter, humble in your heart as you offer the gift of greatest value by our Gods' appraisal ... and give them your love.

I pray that our Lord fans the magical flame of love and great joy in your heart this Christmas, and for those who have lost it, that it be rekindled to blaze like never before! I pray our Gods' blessing on all of our brothers and sisters in Christ in this precious time of true celebration!

My deepest love and affection to all of my family in Christ,

Jeff