Adult Christmas

Christmas. It is so familiar. We set up the tree, buy the gifts, sing the songs and know the story. A bit ordinary and certainly not like it was when we were kids: exciting, mysterious and anticipatory. Does it need to special? Is it fine if we have "gotten used to it"?

As I am reflecting this morning I am thinking this: It is special. Our hearts and minds have grown cool to the sweetness of the holy day.

That is a bit of a rough statement. Cool hearts. How did we get cool hearts? We do it to ourselves. Not by the gift buying part. I think that is fine. So is the decorating and the singing. Where I think we fall short, is plumbing the depth and richness more and more each year. You can't stand still in Christianity for a long period or you become cool. I think Jesus said something like that.

So, it was good enough as kids to do the above mentioned things in light of the birth of Christ. As we mature, we need more than the milk and cookies Santa gets. We need prime rib. That will fill us with the Christmas spirit. Christ expects you to mature in faith and knowledge, and the Spirit will lead the way, just as He did Scrooge.

Examples: Find the old hymns and read all the verses. Search for the deep old hymns of Christmas. I was thinking of Thou Who Wast Rich the other day. Go back to Genesis, it is the reason for the season. Sing O Come O Come Emmanuel while you are alone as a prayer. Do some historical study of the time period of Herod. Read what Owen, or Spurgeon or the early church fathers have to say about the birth. Think of giving more, even more. Think of the new year in light of the birth of Christ. How do you plan for it to be different? We celebrate His birth but He wants to give you more next year. What do you want? You get the idea.

As we head into the season I pray we will select the finest, richest foods and prepare a feast fit for adults and the King.

Worshipwell this weekend!