CHRISTMAS WITHOUT AND WITHIN
As some of you might know, we had a flood in July and our house has been under repair since. For a few weeks, we lived in a hotel than moved in with our daughter. And in recent weeks, we had to move our washer and dryer outside next to the garage. Our fridge is currently in the patio. The kitchen table, chairs, and everything else in the kitchen is shoved into half of the living room with all the front room furniture squished into one end.
Not exactly Christmasy. In fact, we hardly have any Christmas decorations up at all.
It is important to know that this Mimi loves Christmas!! To walk into our house at Christmas shouts Christmas.
My grandchildren love to come over and help with the decorations. In fact, it is an honor in the Keith household for the oldest to crawl up into the attic and oversee the disbursement of decorations. An assembly line is formed with oldest to youngest beginning in the attic, going down the ladder and into the family room. Boxes are everywhere. We open each one with giggles and share funny stories as the children grab each precious piece and put it in its rightful place.
Each decoration is a part of Keith family history!!
With our house still under repair and no Christmas decorations up…yet, it hasn’t quite “felt” like Christmas.
But you and I, both know that Christmas can’t be contained in the decorations. Christmas is in our hearts. Jesus not only came into this messy world, He comes into hearts!!
“Truly, truly, I say to you,” said Jesus. “Unless one is born of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
When we place our faith in Christ, the very Spirit of God births something new within the human heart. The Spirit of God joins with the spirit of man giving life to those who believe. Then something incredible happens. A new humanity is created!!
“Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
What new things??
Well for starters, we have the indwelling presence of God. You know, the One who created the world. The One who sustains the entire universe with the power of His word. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and put all enemies under His feet now lives in us!!
Ponder that for a moment. The Spirit of God is in you!!
Paul tells us that this is an incredible mystery. A mystery that has been hidden in the past and has now been revealed. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
As we revel in the Christmas story and the coming of Jesus Christ into the world…God, incarnate in human flesh walking in our midst to save and deliver us. May we revel in this wonderful mystery that God has come into our hearts!!
Like the angels may we shout for joy, for God has come into the world to save men…and He has come to save me!!
O may the wonder of Christmas without and within stir out hearts with great JOY!!
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas.