I love the season of Advent. But I do not love the commercializing of the season of Christmas. I do not love the lies we are tried to make to believe. Actually, now that I come to think of it, I hate the lies that try to take away the real meaning of Christmas, the lies that try to take away the true colors of Christmas.

For example, there was recently a department store add stating boldly: Luxury belongs to Christmas! WHAT? Christmas has NOTHING to do with luxury. The birth of Jesus was as far as possible from luxury. They did not have room in an inn. Jesus was born in a stable and was put in a manger. Luxury does not belong to Christmas.

Even Jesus the Messiah is not a luxury item, he is a necessity for us. Joseph Parker puts it this way: “Humans need Jesus Christ as a necessity and not as a luxury. You may be pleased to have flowers, but you must have bread…. Jesus is not a phenomenon, He is bread: Christ is not a curiosity, He is water. As surely as we cannot live without bread, we cannot live truly without Christ: If we know not Christ we are not living, our movement is a mechanical flutter, our pulse is but the stirring of an animal life.”

The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I’ve been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board. (Eph.3: 5-6, MSG)

We need Jesus. Blessedly the way to salvation is not to be bought by only the rich. The way to salvation is not to be earned by our works. The way to salvation is a gift from God: Jesus.

In Jesus we find the true colors of Christmas.
In Jesus we find the depth of God’s love for us.
In Jesus we find the height of God’s mercy.
In Jesus we find the breadth of God’s grace.
In Jesus we find the length of God’s lovingkindness.
In Jesus we find the true colors of Life.

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. (Eph. 3: 14-19, MSG)
 

Gracious God,
Thank you that Jesus is not a luxury item
that only rich could afford.
Thank you for coming for each everyone of us.
Thank you for loving us so much
that you gave your only son for us
so we could be made right with you
and have life and more life in you.
Prepare us for your coming.
Prepare us to understand
the true colors of life.
Be our everything.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: What kind of lies have you detected about Christmas? What does help you to find the true colors of Christmas?

Be blessed, fellow pilgrim, on your advent journey!

Photo courtesy of Jeff Boriss.