Christmas is many things to me.
On the one hand there's the enjoyment of the holiday season which really encompasses everything; the music, the decorations, the food, the gifts, the chance to take some time off to have festive fun and fellowship with friends and family (fffffffffff).
On the other hand there's the obvious day of celebration of the birth of Christ. I'm ashamed to say that this is always quite far down on my list of reasons to look forward to December 25th, even as a Christian. Despite all the 'Jesus is the reason for the season' messages we're bombarded with during each December, the nativity is pretty much the furthest element from my mind when up against the Home Alone movies on TV, the Sufjan Christmas records on the stereo and a red Starbucks cup in my hand. But this, I think, just goes to highlight the human condition and makes the true Christmas miracle of Grace even harder to grasp.
You see, I believe in the teachings of the Bible; that we as a human race were all created by God (waay waaaay back when) and destined for a good life of peace, but that we rejected that in favour of doing things our way. I mean, not me personally, but I'm pretty sure if I had been born as Adam I'd have failed in the same way. I understand that I'm living in a world which would probably call this train of thought hugely irrational, but I just try to focus on how 'rational' it would have seemed even just 50 years ago, so just go with it for a second.
We humans just love to be in control, and we don't like anyone telling us we're wrong, or that we can't do something. We HATE it. So when I'm told that I should spend my Christmas being thankful for the gift of salvation through the death of Christ, my sinful human nature takes over and says 'screw this, I'm going to play with my new video game.' Don't get me wrong - in my heart of hearts I want to *want* to go with the flow, but more often than not, I choose to do what I want to do...
Thankfully, grace says that even when I make the wrong decision, I get a do-over, basically so long as I genuinely want to make the right decision. I think... I'm still not 100% learned-up on this kinda stuff, but I'm trying to carve my own path from what I read in the Bible, and I totally 100% believe it all.
Anyway, this post wasn't meant to be some sort of 'Gospel-Shot' but I've just been thinking about how bizarre and fictional all this Nativity stuff must sound to people who don't know or don't believe what the Bible says, so I thought I'd chip in my two pence.
But alas, Boxing Day it is, and the saddest time of year for kids like me who've awaited Christmas with bated breath since mid-October. I've had a great one so far, though (especially on the presents-front - more on that in my next post...), and now I have a few weeks at home to relax, enjoy not being under the pressures of work, and work on a few projects. It's the most wonderful time of the year.
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