Recently, I was chatting with a former colleague, listening to him recount a year that started with high hopes but ultimately slid off the rails. You talk about a ‘bear year’ bingo board; this mini testimony had it all, from unforeseen conflicts and unprecedented struggles to wrong turns at the wrong times despite best intentions. If disappointment had a voice, no question, I was hearing and feeling it.
Perhaps some of you have been in that situation, having to pull wisdom from past pain, looking to make an encouraging connection. If so, you know the posture can be humbling.
Addressing my friend, the immediate challenge wasn’t so much accessing my library of relatable lows but conveying hope in a way that didn’t come across as cliché. For instance, I generally agree with the colloquialism, ‘It’s not about how you start but how you finish’. In the spirit of holy calibration, one has nothing but fear to lose when full surrender meets desperation and repentance. Yet often the trouble in voicing this is the embedded assumption that the other side knows what to do. How does one finish a year strong? Where is Jesus when we need Him to shine light on the way we’re to go? Those are a few of several key questions we should be asking this time of year, and in some instances, be willing to navigate with certain people God puts in our lives.
To me, finishing a year strong is less about the existing year and more about the upcoming year. ‘Tis why I love December as much as I do. While there’s plenty to celebrate, there’s the covering of Advent as a means to bless the Lord and a prompt to realign with Him. Yes, Christmas traditions are worthwhile, but so is the net effect of taking inventory of unhealthy patterns, breaking off agreements with the enemy, and posturing in gratitude to what saves.
Wherever we find ourselves, I encourage us to look this year in the mirror and declare it as one God can use. What has happened, good or bad, doesn’t define us. Even if there have been discouraging developments, we must not exalt them to the point our faith erodes but rather see them as motivation to lay our all at Jesus’ feet. We may not feel we have much to give, we may wrestle with our sense of purpose and future from our current perspectives; however, when we consider Christmas is the celebration of Jesus incarnate – the reason for hope, the beginning of salvation, the reality of reconciliation – we understand how these weeks of anticipation can extend into the new year where fresh starts and clean slates await.
Accordingly, as we delight in God’s sovereignty this Christmas, let’s be mindful of what this Advent season can ignite. Immanuel, God with us in storm and fire, merry and bright, there’s nothing He can’t do to make things right. Still, we must accept our call to make Him room; hence, why we must embrace Him as ‘present’. The same God who understands where and why you are is the same God who gave His only Son to purchase and preserve you at a price. You don’t have to wait until New Year’s to recommit your ways. Start now, start today, and watch what God will do.
Last week, as I was sipping on some hot brew on a chilly pre-winter morning, my oldest son, Caeden, walked up to me and asked, “Is Santa Claus real?“
At first, my inner Michael Scott started to blare.
But after realizing I’d appraised a response years prior, I knew what I needed to do. Citing some Vintage Richard Attenborough from Miracle on 34th Street, I facetiously replied:
“Santa is more than a whimsical figure who wears a charming suit and affects a jolly demeanor. He’s a symbol. He’s a symbol of the human ability to suppress the selfish and hateful tendencies that rule the major part of our lives. If you can’t believe, if you can’t accept anything on faith, then you’re doomed for a life dominated by doubt.”
After a few seconds of awkward silence, I could tell by Caeden’s deadpan demeanor, he needed more clarity. Thus, I restructured my answer.
“No, son. Santa is not real based on how he’s portrayed today, but like many of our favorite movies and books, he’s inspired by real people and events.”
Satisfied, Caeden dropped the inquiry knowing the intel he obtained days before aligned with my wording. But for me, the moment was far from over. Rewatching the movie, I realized how profound the scene is specifically when one substitutes ‘truth’ for symbol and ‘Jesus’ for Santa. With mental wheels grinding, I started to wonder: Throughout the world, how many have Jesus in their hearts but with the truth suppressed? To those who follow Christ, are we wearing our faith to buzz our spirits or are we letting joy and goodwill organically overflow from being present with people?
Weighing the contrast, I considered another cinematic sequence in Home Alone during which Kevin’s mom attempts to secure a flight from Scranton to Chicago.
Desperate to see her son, she reminds the airline agent that Christmas is a season for perpetual hope and threatens to hitchhike, even sell her soul to the devil to be reunited. In this case, her franticness drives her anticipation, her hope nothing more than a means to an end, a bartering tool for it to be realized. Unfortunately, this can be a popular posture for those facing adversity in December; hence, why we should heed what the Word says about perpetual hope:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”1 Peter 1:3 NIV
“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” 1 Peter 1:13 NIV
“Recalling unceasingly before our God and Father your work energized by faith, and your service motivated by love and unwavering hope in [the return of] our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3 AMP
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 NIV
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 NIV
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31 NIV
“…we ourselves, …wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope, we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Romans 8:23-25 NIV
“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word, I put my hope.” Psalms 130:5 NIV
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NIV
“It is for this that we labor and strive because we have fixed our [confident] hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe [in him, recognize him as the Son of God, and accept him as Savior and Lord].” 1 Timothy 4:10 AMP
Taking a systematic approach, we find this version of hope to not only be a glorious fusion between Advent and Immanuel, but a testament to why faith and freedom can co-exist. As Christ’s first coming reminds us, patience carries virtue to the extent it anticipates with, you guessed it, perpetual hope. Not wishful thinking, not warm musing, but a steadfast belief in our Savior who conquered death and is alive today. Knowing He will come again, we engage Christmas by celebrating the incarnation and the eternal relationship we have with Jesus.
Yet, as we wait and hope in full, we must receive Christ into our brokenness as we reflect his nature to the world. Often, we undermine or overextend the call we have to emulate Christ to those who need him most during the holidays. Like Kevin’s mom, we see a need for life, a wake-up call if you will, and want to pull hope down from the heavens, put a bow on it, and say ‘Merry Christmas’ as we casually go about our way. If only serving as conduits of hope was that easy.
Passive as it may seem, particularly to Elf enthusiasts, the best way to extend Christmas cheer is not singing loud for all to hear, but making bold the name of Jesus, the hope of the world, so those who don’t know him have a chance to see, at the very least, hear. That’s, in part, the beauty of Matthew 12:21. At some point, those who don’t yet believe will find and have a chance to receive hope, even if the sole prompt is the sound of his name. While our goodwill may be genuine in the short term, for it to be effective in the long term, it must be vertically aligned so that our hope may reflect what it personifies, the God of all comfort.
Of course, I’m not suggesting I’m as consistent as I need to be with this. I just know the authority I have in Jesus to speak his name while receiving the season as a cue for holy declaration, even during seasons of chaos and crisis. Take it from one who knows what it’s like to hold his child as she takes her last breath, I get how Christmas can trigger the blues at a swifter rate than the reds and greens. 🦋🦋🦋
But Christ in me, I know the emotional amplification is a testament to why we commemorate this season. In the same way saints of old yearned for a Messiah, we long for him to come again and in the meantime, make straight his ways, to complete the work He’s started in us. Cheesy as it sounds, Christmas truly is a ‘present’ to the believer given it stitches our past to our future. Knowing what God has done before, we can remain active in our hope as divine construction in our hearts and worlds occurs. We can smile as we groan, laugh as we cry, and believe when it doesn’t make sense. We can be present with people even when we feel alone. We can even share the little we [think we] have to offer with another who regards it as plenty.
Quite simply, the paradox of Christmas is its lasting legacy. While the light of Christmas is the gift of Jesus, the current in which it flows is its unceasing element compelling us to seek him, to make our hope perpetual, and lay down our doubt, pride, and offenses for heart-healing alternatives.
One day we will get there. Until then, the charge is simple: Don’t force the hope this Christmas; reflect it. Don’t burden yourself trying to fix problems outside your control. Rather, refocus on rediscovering and realigning with the One who makes all things new. As for those struggling with grief this Christmas, remember God sent his begotten Son to earth so our literal and spiritual deaths could be reconciled. As timely hymns attest, there’s profound peace to be found when we consider Mary carrying Jesus, a son who was born to die so our loved ones, in some cases, our babies, could live.
No matter what season or situation you’re in, may what you believe be a transparent means for those on the outside to know there is a God who is love who is there for them. Take joy in your part, but more importantly, your King, who makes a way even when there is no way.
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7)
WHAT BLISS IS THIS?
Every Christmas, seasonal charisma arouses that magical popery of jollity and goodwill. Amidst the hurrying and scurrying, many people tap into a higher ‘cheer gear’ once December dawns, knowing the most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner. Snowflakes emerge on coke cans, polar bears dance in dreams, sounds of silver bells fill the air, popular television channels kick off countdowns, and old friendships reconnect as the surrounding world decks itself with adornment. As days grow colder, the warmth of binding bonds contribute to what is often associated as good tidings. But what exactly is a good tiding? And how do we adequately answer this if we possess topical bliss, plastic like some of our materialistic ambitions?
Whatever the case, losing sight on what drives our ebullience during Christmas is far too easy given our focus can be lost in holiday hustle and bustle. I know for me, I can’t encounter peace without intentionally entering into (or choosing) joy first; hence, why I will see the Prince of Peace whenever I need a stir not even a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha can buy and align to God through spontaneous worship, stillness, declaring the truth of His Word, even random acts of kindness depending on the situation.
Bottom line: By applying the right heart/mindsets in light of Christmas, we can discover some rejuvenating truths that augment season’s joy and boost boldness heading into a new year.
THE WAY FROM THE MANGER
For believers, Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, salvation’s inception, and the adoption to sonship (Galatians 4:4-5, ESV). It is a time to commemorate God’s ultimate gift, who would become the ultimate sacrifice, as well as the divine pathway, which begun in a Bethlehem stable and ended at a cross at Calvary, the tomb, and the right hand of God (Hebrews 12:2, ESV). From the beginning, God foresaw the incarnation as the bridge to a new covenant relationship with His children; however, He knew the blueprints would require His son bearing flesh and humanity’s sin as part of the process of redeeming them. Thus, the purest celebration of Christmas is an honoring tribute to the greatest act of selfless love with “good tidings of great joy” the proper response as recipients of grace.
Bottom line: What is the right response exactly? To share the good news, mirroring God’s love to all men (1 John 4:9-11, ESV).
GOOD GRIEF! THE CHARLIE BROWN CHALLENGE
How well have we kept the manger and cross integrated into our execution of goodwill? As some of us have seen, cultural bents often reduces them to spontaneous acts of short-lived compassion. So how do we righteously respond to such subtle sucking of holy verve?
Let’s think about Charlie Brown for just a minute. For all the verbal abuse Charlie Brown endured in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, he had the right approach in his search for the true meaning of Christmas. As the show progresses, Charlie Brown becomes increasingly convinced commercialism ruins Christmas. Yet, before he figures out what Christmas is all about, he has to first realize what it isn’t about: Money, Santa Clause, self-centered wanting, etc. Eventually, the light bulb ignites for Charlie Brown as he realizes commercialism isn’t the only issue congesting Christmas spirit but rather religion overriding opportunities in which goodness can manifest.
Bottom line: Dare to pray for the Charlie Brown’s of the world adrift on a sea of holiday motions, who accomplish much goodness by way of action, yet remain numb to the broad significance of those actions. The unsung hero in Charlie Brown Christmas saw past the capped perspectives of his peers: Christmas isn’t about being filled or finding meaning through what’s temporary, but sharing what’s everlasting with one another.
That said, the Charlie Brown Challenge is simple – that we may be unified as a people who know why they give of themselves. May commercialism and customs not overcome us to the point our ‘love barometer’ stops working. May our donations and offerings accompany our compassion and stem more from heart than wallet. And may we, with boldness and without hindrance (Acts 28:31, ESV), “proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns, for this is why [we were made]” (Luke 4:42-44, ESV) and accordingly, how we should celebrate Christmas.
Every Christmas, I somehow, some way find myself taking in another round of ‘Elf‘. After all, you leave your TV on long enough during December, it’s bound to happen. Although the movie isn’t exactly my cup of tea, I’d be a cotton-headed ninny muggins if I said there weren’t any truths tucked within the movie’s many memorable moments.
Thus, in the spirit of modern day parables, here are three life lessons inspired by Elf quotes worth eating up this holiday season…
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Jovie: “It IS a crappy cup of coffee.”Buddy: “No, it’s the world’s BEST cup of coffee.”
Believing the best isn’t always easy. I know for me, I’d rather ‘get real’ with what’s in front of me than entertain what’s outside of me. Yet, I also know, while honest assessment is certainly a fair practice, when it becomes boxed in by circumstances, opportunities to shine hope into them can be missed.
In the case of Buddy the Elf, his innocent ignorance, though awkward, opens the door for humility…
…not only for the coffee shop to step up to its potential, but for Jovie to believe it could happen.
Accordingly, I can appreciate how Buddy, though delusional, speaks life into what could be, rather than reduce an entire identity to one subpar sip.
Bottom line: While there’s a time to be honest, a time to be transparent, there’s never a time to doubt, even if the best is out of sight, out of mind. ————————————————————————————————————————————————
2. Buddy: “Deb, you have such a pretty face, you should be on a Christmas card.”
Like point #1, showing encouragement isn’t always easy either. Political incorrectness, missing the punch-line, poor delivery mechanics, futile grudges…
…honestly, it’s crazy the excuses we tolerate all for the sake of not looking (or sounding) like a moron.
But with Buddy, not only do you find a model of self-security, but you also see what happens when driven joy and childlike faith collide in a relational context. Despite his lack of filter, Buddy ultimately reminds us it’s better to encourage as a function of determined giving as opposed to convenient action.
Bottom line: If you have something good to say, don’t just say it…give it.————————————————————————————————————————————————
3. Buddy: “SANTA! OH MY GOD! SANTA’S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM!”
I’ve often wondered why so many wear their faith like a security blanket, only to ditch it when the ‘heat’ is turned up.
It’s like…we have no problem investing in eternal insurance…but also have no problem catering to indifference whenever the ‘rubber meets the road’.
But truth is: when we ‘selah’ on simply Jesus and the joy set before us, it makes perfect sense to get excited and share that enthusiasm with those around us; hence, why Buddy’s reaction here is so priceless given it captures the true spirit of Christmas and reminds us how we’re to celebrate God’s past, present, and future faithfulness.
For when we consider the fact Jesus is coming again, to once more redeem humanity from depravity, we ultimately set ourselves up to trust Christ in a way that fuels an eagerness for that coming.
Bottom line: Stand up, be proud…live your faith out loud…
‘…cause seriously…we have the privilege of knowing the King of Kings & Lord of Lords. How freakin’ awesome is that!?!
Granted, it’s 70 freakin’ degrees and our only hope for a white Christmas lies in a water and sodium polyacrylate amalgamation (thanks, El Niño blowtorch).Then again…it’s not like Christmas hinges on what can be tangibly felt…be it an emotion, a moment, or an unfavorable teleconnection with ridging tendencies.
Of course, you know me; I could go on about the Grinch-like weather and other seasonal interferences like a mopey cotton-headed ninny muggins. But I figure:
‘Cause while the weather outside is NOT frightful…with certain situations far from delightful…truth is: God has given us a place that is rightful…where all is still well and all is still bright.
But perhaps you’re like many who aren’t feeling so hot right now, fatigued from a difficult year and/or stressed by the perilous times in which we live.If so, then I encourage you: take heart…for you are not (or ever) alone…nor are you hopeless, helpless…or unworthy of receiving the kind of rest and peace this time of year has to offer.
‘Cause when we talk about Christmas, we’re not talking about some annual tradition, a candlelit spectacle, or an excuse to be off work. Rather, we’re talking about an expectant hope made possible by God who has set things right for us (Jeremiah 33:16), who remains true to His promises…all the while giving us a reason to know joy and fear not.
Thus, when we pause to consider what Christmas really means, we ultimately set ourselves up to look up…and experience a joy that merges with a peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).
Consider the innkeeper in Luke 2…a character in the birth narrative who gets a bad rap due, in part, to his lack of mention. As a kid, I had this idea that the innkeeper was this snarky, Arab Ken Jeong type who opened the door, glanced at Mary and Joseph, and blared, ‘No room for you’… only to slam the door in their face.
But as I’ve revisited the story in recent years, I’ve come to realize the innkeeper was not only fulfilling his part in the prophecy (Micah 5:2), but was also doing his best to extend joy into Mary and Joseph’s situation through hospitality.
You see…at this point in the narrative, we often underestimate the contrast between what was being felt versus what was being done.Personally, I believe the innkeeper was being true to his word (i.e. ‘there’s no room in the inn’), based on the time of the day, the time of year…plus you never lie to a pregnant woman who’s dilating on a donkey.
Yet, while it’s very brief in text, what the innkeeper does between the lines in offering his only ‘stable’ option is actually super profound.
‘Cause what he did, in purest essence…was prepare Him room (i.e. He offered the only thing he could offer in the moment, wrapped it with humble honesty…and counted it all joy).So when you think about it…the innkeeper, despite his minor role, captures what Christmas (and joy for that matter) is all about: being intentional in making room for Jesus in the midst of our chaos…and laying our burdens before the Lord so that the voids left behind can be filled with expressions of honor.
I love this short put out a few years back from The Skit Guys…
Per the above, I encourage you, my friends, to consider your Christmas contribution to Jesus this year…whether it be your time, your walls, your fears…and to seal it by preparing Him room in your hearts…all for the sake of saying, ‘Jesus, you are my joy, the answer to life…and the reason for the season.’For when you ready yourself to receive Christ, you repeat the sounding joy by also receiving the continuous outflow of His blessings and grace…which is exactly why God sent His only begotten Son in the first place.
On behalf of Lyssah & I, we want want to wish you a very…
hisgirlfryday.com 
