This time of the year is meant to be special. The Christmas season should be jam-packed and gift wrapped with peace on the earth and good will toward men. Yet somehow, at points every year, it ends up turning into a giant, tangled, Christmas light ball of stress. There’s always chaos, and at times deep sadness when we realize that this holiday season won’t turn out the perfect scene we imagine it to be. When relationships are torn and it feels like Christmas just highlights and points out the broken mess we are as sinners.

The best part of this Christmas celebration is that Christ came with the end goal already in sight. He was born to be a Savior. In essence, He was born with the intent to die. All of us are born knowing someday we will die. Jesus was born so that He could die, for you and for me.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. -John 15:13

I pray your celebration revolves around this powerful truth at Christmas. And I’d invite you to listen and reflect on the words of this “contemporary carol.” It’s a song by the Christian group Relient K titled I Celebrate the Day. The lyrics never cease to give me goosebumps.

Enjoying the Journey,

Pastor Doug