Ok, ok, maybe I've been hanging around the seminary too much or perhaps the incessant holiday zeal of the profiteering marketers has gotten to me, but I like Christmas. Not only that, but Christmas reminds me of Biblical truth. (Appropriate, is it not?)
Do you remember the excitement you felt about Christmas as a kid? It was, as one classic holiday movie puts it, the event which the kid-year revolved around. As a child I devised all kinds of ways to count down the days to Christmas. One year, I had a Santa Claus calendar where you could glue a cotton ball to Santa's beard for every day that passed until come Christmas, Santa had a full beard. I made paper chains and I tore off a link for every day that passed. And of course, there was always the verbal count. I know I drove my mother crazy with that one. I would triumphantly announce the number of days remaining until the holiday and my poor mother would groan and shake her head, thinking of all that was still to be done.
I still love Christmas. The sights, the sounds, the traditions,the time spent treasuring family relations, meditating on the mystery of the incarnation of our Lord-- it is a wonderful time of year. But the thought struck me the other day: we are in the season of anticipation. Not for presents or family or carols, but for heaven. That's exciting to me! How I wish that I had more of my childish eagerness back... but for the coming of the Lord. I am waiting for the penultimate event of all time. For utopia! For rest! To see the Savior's face! What an exciting thing! How often I forget that He is coming. And how much greater will He be than any shadowy holiday. Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a season of anticipation that lasts far past December 25th.
1 comment:
Sounds like you've been reading City of God.
Our pastor from Georgia always told us to "live our eschatology." You'd love him.
I promise I won't be obnoxious and comment on every post the instant you post it.
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