★ Day 25 – Reason for the Season – Christmas Isn’t the Destination ★

This comic has no relevance to anything, but just was hysterical to me about what the down time activity that Santa and the reindeer may engage in.  Today we conclude our 25 Day series of posts, (a first ever!)  I pray you have been blessed and that a new or fresh connection with the Jesus has been established in your life!

“Our understanding of Christ molds and shapes our view of eternity, of hope, and of salvation.  If we have the wrong view of Christ, who He is, who He was, and what He came to do, then it shapes everything we see, it becomes the lens that we look through…How we view Jesus is extremely important.”  Marty Collier, The Church on Rush Creek 

So has your view of Christ changed over the past 25 days?  I hope so; I know it has for me!  Now that Christmas has come and gone, what’s next?  December 25 is not the end…The story continues…Matthew 2:12-18 (NLT) says,

“When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.  After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  

“Get up!  Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said.  “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death.  This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him.  He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.  Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

“A cry was heard in Ramah—
    weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
    refusing to be comforted,
    for they are dead.”

If you recall in the ★ Day 22 – Reason for the Season – Part of the Stable Few? ★ post, we discussed the previous 2 verses, that the Wise Men came in and worshiped Jesus.  It is interesting that after they honored God, by honoring His Son, The Wise Men were warned to go another way because of King Herod.  In ★ Day 21 – Reason for the Season – Neighborly Competition ★ post that the Wise Men’s interaction with Herod, stirred up the King’s envy which resulted in the heinous acts of verses 16-18.  And as a result, Mary and Joseph, with child Jesus in tow had to flee to Egypt.  Christmas is so much more than the birth of Christ; it’s about allowing God to change you!  Have you been changed?  Or another way to ask it…How can we incorporate Christmas into our lives the rest of the year?  The solution I believe is to MAKE ADVENT A LIFESTYLE!   

Let’s review the lessons we learned from the Advent Wreath:

• In the ★ Day 03 – Reason for the Season – Let Hope Arise ★ post we discussed the first purple candle that is lit on the Advent Wreath represents Hope. If you want to keep Christmas in your heart, then share the Hope that is within you with others…Don’t just keep it within you.
• In the ★ Day 10 – Reason for the Season – What is the Spirit of Christmas? ★ post we discussed the second purple candle that is lit on the Advent Wreath represents Peace. If you want to keep Christmas in your heart, then be a peacemaker and impart to everyone else that peace can happen even in the hardest season of life!
• In the ★Day 14 – Reason for the Season – Joy to the World ★ post we discussed the third candle that is lit on the Advent Wreath, which is the only pink candle, represents Joy.  If you want to keep Christmas in your heart, remember that the “Joy to the World” is not just one day a year but can be every day!  Spread it to all who you come into contact with.
• In the ★Day 20 – Reason for the Season – The Father’s Love ★ post we discussed the fourth candle that is lit on the Advent Wreath represents Love.  If you want to keep Christmas in your heart, follow the sacrificial example of God sending His Son and be willing to sacrifice for others.
• And finally in yesterday’s ★Day 24 – Reason for the Season – Best Christmas Gift Ever! ★ post we discussed the he last candle that is lit on the Advent Wreath that represents Jesus Christ, which is the only white candle.  If you want to keep Christmas in your heart, then endeavor to be more like Jesus and be ready to be His hands and feet everywhere you go.

Jesus was sent by God, to earth, to be the greatest gift of love one could ever receive.  Carry that giving spirit all through the year by volunteering and encouraging those around you who are hopeless.  Look for opportunities to give the love of Christ out to a world that is in desperate need of a Savior!  I love this quote from Lysa TerKeurst,

“Christmas doesn’t end December 25th…Its beautiful reality really should linger a little longer.”  

Amen!!  I will add to that to say Christmas should linger indefinitely!  Jesus gave His disciples, (and now us 2,000 years later,) this instruction in John 13:34-35,

“A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Love one another…Let your goodwill towards others be evident through your actions…Spread Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Jesus to all those God has placed in your sphere of influence!  I will close with this from 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NLT),

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ.  And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them.  And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.”

And to piggyback that, Charles Spurgeon said, 

“Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.”

God has given each one of us the task to mark an impact on this world…Will you?

I pray that these “25 Days of Thankfulness” has given not only given you a new perspective on the Reason for the Season but a new connection and love for Jesus Christ!!

If you missed any of the series or just want to start from the beginning you can by ★ Clicking Here ★

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