This year has been a unique year to say the least! The pandemic has changed a lot of things and people are looking forward to each holiday. It seems like a lot of people are enjoying the Christmas season this year. As Halloween ended and November began, I started to see Christmas lights and decorations on my neighbors’ homes and began to see Christmas trees in living room windows shortly thereafter. There is something about Christmas that gives us comfort and in a year like 2020, we need all the comfort that we can get.
The songs of Christmas bring many of us comfort as they remind us of Christmases past and the joy and celebration of this season. Many of us find comfort in the movies and shows that we watch each year as part of our Christmas tradition. Movies such as, “Polar express”, “Elf”, “A Christmas Story”, “Christmas Vacation” and shows like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “Frosty the Snowman”, and “A Charlie Brown’s Christmas” bring us joy as we watch them again this year. Of course, there are the Christmas treats that we enjoy as well. Where I grew up, they make sweet tamales and hot chocolate. Here in the south, the cookies, pies, cakes, fudge, and all things peppermint of Christmas bring us comfort as well. The sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the Christmas season bring us comfort, and this is especially true this year.
I am thankful that we have a Father who desires to bring us good gifts that bring us comfort. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). In this season of gift giving, we need to remember that God is the best gift giver there is. He gave us the greatest gift we have received in his son, Jesus. Yet, he also gives us other gifts as well to bless and comfort us. The joys and comforts of the Christmas season are also His “good gifts” to us. God desires to bless and comfort His children. His “good gifts” continually do this, especially this time of year.
I don’t know what kind of year that you have experienced, but I imagine there has been some difficulties within it. I hope this Christmas season, that you are able to find comfort in the traditions, joy and peace of the Christmas season. Above all, we can take comfort in the knowledge that two thousand years ago, our Savior was born in a manger in Bethlehem and this gift has changed everything for us. This gift is our greatest comfort of all.
Enjoy the comforts of Christmas as you worship and praise the giver of all “good gifts”.
– Justo
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