Written December 23rd, 2010
In this holiday season, it is no surprise that our attentions are consumed with thoughts of ourselves. What gifts are we going to get this year? How am I ever going to find the right gift for my aunt so that she doesn't think less of me? As Christians, we don't really like those thoughts, because we know that it's not about the gifts, that "the reason for the season" is Jesus. And we might take action steps to de-materialize Christmas. Thank God.
But I wonder if we still have not eradicated our consumerism, even if in our actions and words we acknowledge Jesus. The question that I run into is, How can I celebrate, really celebrate Jesus, when I feel that I am alone this season? How can I understand his gift when I have no one to show it to me that makes it more than words I'm insisting on and maybe some lip service at grace? What does Jesus mean to *me* this holiday season?
But looking at Luke this morning, the sheer amount of praise to the Lord woven into the story stuck out to me. Because the truth of the matter, is that this story is not about Christianity. This story is not about us. This story is not about us. The story is about God. This is his story, and it is the fact that he was faithful in his promises that spurs praise. Mary and Elizabeth didn't know that Jesus would change the world. They didn't know that there would be wars fought over and for his name. They praised because God had shown his mercy and his faithfulness. The God that they had heard had liberated their people from slavery some thousand years prior had come again, just as he promised. They themselves, even before his birth, were receiving the gift of God: his grace, faithfulness, and mercy.
The Christmas season about God's story, and we celebrate that he has chosen to involve us in his story, his beautiful story of redemption. We don't celebrate how perfect he's made our lives (which he hasn't), but that he is faithful and is making all things new.
