The Real Reason for the Season

It's December. There is snow on the ground. It's pretty cold outside.

Yaaayyyyy. :D

Anyways. Who all's doing finals? It seems like everyone's freaking out about finals, staying up late studying for 'em, drinking more coffee, praying extra hard, not that they get an A in this class but that they pass it, stuff like that.

My finals are different from your finals, but I get the stress. I have two more courses to finish before I'm done with this semester, and I'm starting one of them next Monday. I'm gonna finish the other one next Wednesday, and then hopefully finish everything before Christmas break. *cue my own all-nighter*

So here's my question. Why is Christmastime always so stinkin' stressful? I always thought it was a time to have fun, be 'at peace' you know? That whole peace on Earth, goodwill to all men thing. All the lights, the glitz, the glamor, the Christmas plays, special music, trees, decorations, presents, it's all nice, but it's not about that. Christmas is about how the God who created everything came down to His creation in created form so that one day He could die for us. You can't talk about Christmas without mentioning the reason Christ came.

Mary probably did know. She was Jewish, she knew the prophecies of the Messiah. She probably knew that He'd one day die on a cross. But for a few short years, Jesus the Messiah was a baby, her baby.

I'm not dissing the decorations, the trees and all that wonderful stuff, I like getting presents and I like giving presents. I like looking at all the lights and the special music's pretty awesome. Christmas plays are epic too, I mean, my pastor's wife can't do a mediocre play, she always makes it spectacular.

All I'm saying is, instead of getting stressed out about the little details, think about why Jesus came. Think about the reason for the season. Think about why we hang up lights and decorate a tree and practice special music for a special service and memorize scripts and direct Christmas plays.

You are the reason He came. You were once lost, dead, dying, hurt, without hope. But now, you have a hope. You've been found. You died, and God gave you life. You were hurt, and He healed you. And even on your worst days, you still have an unreasonably strong hope that it's gonna get better, 'cause your hope's not found in the temporary things of this world, it's found in an everlasting God who loved you enough to pay the price and make a way for you to come to Him.

Love you guys. Merry Christmas! :)

--Sonya :) <3