Isaiah 9:6-7
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us, a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Are you excited when you hear the word Christmas or do you feel the weight of stress on your shoulders? Growing up in a Christian family, I’ve always enjoyed Christmas, especially since that one year where I missed Christmas altogether. That was a challenging year as I was quarantined in my room because I had measles, and it is contagious. Since then, Christmas has meant more than just the decorations. It’s a time of togetherness, time to share, to give, to love and most of all, to celebrate Jesus’s birthday. I was only five years old when I had measles. However, on that Christmas morning, I remember looking down from a small window at the end of my bedroom. I could see the Children’s Christmas Party held at our house. At the end of the party, one by one, each child will go to the front to receive a party bag and a Christmas present from the teacher.
I watched the smiles and heard their laughter as each child received their gift. Then I watched as my older brother went up to receive his gift. He took his gift, and he was about to leave when he turned and ran back to the teacher and said something to her, then he was given an extra gift! As he walked back to his seat, he looked up at my window and smiled at me, pointing to the extra gift. I was overjoyed. I smiled and waved back to him because I knew he had taken it for me. He remembered me! I will never forget that day. Christmas is a time to love. It is a time to remember those we love; no one is forgotten.
God loved us so much that He gave His only son to be born into this world and live among us. Jesus came as the greatest gift for all humankind. Even though we can’t see Him, we can feel His presence with us. We should not forget Him. Let’s not lose the reason for the season.
What does Christmas mean to you?
