Reflecting on Christmas

Soon we shall be celebrating Christmas. How do we explain the meaning of Christmas in just a few words? Well the best way we know is this:

Christmas is… “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life,” Jn 3:16).

Christmas means a lot of things to a lot of different people. To some it is:
-a time of shopping and spending
-a time of drinking and carousing
-a time of travelling and entertaining

But, what is the real meaning of Christmas? What message should it convey to you and I?

I. Christmas is... A TIME OF REMEMBERING
We remember the great love that God has for each and every one of us. He loved us so much, that He gave His only Son that we might be saved. It is also remembering all those great people surrounding the Christmas story - people like Joseph and Mary, Zacharias and Elizabeth, Anna, Simeon, the shepherds, the wise men, etc.

II. Christmas is... A TIME OF LOVING and GIVING
Make a special effort to be a little more concern of others and a little more generous during the Christmas season. It is a time for reaching out to others with love and care.

III. Christmas is ... A TIME OF FORGIVING
TIME OF God is willing to forgive us. He is willing to show mercy and compassion to us sinners. Do we possess His forgiving spirit or do our spirit is still a judgmental one that looks down upon others? Is there someone we need to forgive this Christmas?

VI. Christmas is ... A TIME OF CHANGING
He makes us new creatures. Our preparation during this Advent will promise us new life in Christ this coming Christmas. All things become new for us. We shall have new goals, new ideas, new direction and new hope. Christ changes people for the better.

VII. Christmas is ... A TIME OF REJOICING
- Rejoicing in God’s unmerited, undeserved grace
- Rejoicing in the release of forgiveness
- Rejoicing in a new life with a new mission

Don’t let God's only begotten Son become His only forgotten Son this Christ
Christ changes mas.

“What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.”

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012.

After being in Pune, India for the past 6 months, I will be back in Malaysia on 12th December for my Christmas and New Year break and I will be returning to Pune on 2nd January 2012.