Monday, December 10, 2007

Seasonal Thoughts

This is my favorite time of the year. I love the decorations, the carols, the smell of cookies in the oven. I find the sensory overload of the Christmas season to be elating. While the consumeristic side of our society has driven the beginning of the season into September, the Advent season does not truly begin until the end of November. It is at that time that my thoughts fully turn toward the joyous Christmas season.

It is easy to be caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season. One can be overcome with sales and deep discounts on all the 'must have' items of this year. The sheer number of party invitations recieved can cause one to consider a cloistered life. And this year's Christmas season is being 'interrupted' by next year's politics. One can easily be overwhelmed by the 'busy-ness' of the season.

That is precisely why we must focus upon the true meaning of this season. This season is not about decorations and Christmas trees. This time of the year is not about carolling and hot chocolate. Christmas is not about cookies and pies, gifts and stockings, lights and evergreen boughs, decking this halls, or dashing through the snow. It is really all about relationship. It is about reconnecting through relationships.

I know that this may sound strange coming from a pastor, but allow me a moment to explain. Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, Jesus. It is about God, sending His Son, so that our relationship with God could be restored. Jesus came into this world so that we could have a relationship with God. And I believe that as we focus on the relationships in our life, it helps us begin to understand the relationship that God desires to have with each of us.

There's no better time for showing our love for our friends and family than this time of year. There is also no better time to reconnect with God than during the time that celebrates Him showing His love for us by sending His Son.