Santa Claus. Reindeer. Christmas trees with lights. New-fallen snow. Crackling fires. Presents. Malls. Traffic. Children’s smiles. Parties. Boxes of chocolate. Fruit baskets. Advent calendars. Comforting lattes and cocoas. Friends. Family. Memories. Letters. Christmas has a way of warming my heart every year. Truly, there is no season quite like Christmas.
And in the midst of all these gifts from God, too often I forget the real meaning of the season. When I truly allow time to reflect in those moments of stillness, what astounds me the most is that God became flesh and made His dwelling on earth. He was born in a manger of all places. He came to the earth in the ultimate form of humility. He grew in wisdom and stature as a man. He experienced much of what we do; pain, happiness, hunger, and yet he had no stain of sin. He died a gruesome death on the cross to redeem this fallen world and restore what had been lost.
We celebrate the cradle and the cross this Christmas. Above all, we celebrate Love.
