I love the month of December. There something about the month of December that really is hard for me to put in words. I was born and brought up in Chennai, in south India, a city with a population of about 6-9 million. Today and for the last 12 years of my adult life I have spent living in Falun, a small city in Sweden, where everything is different from what I was used to in Chennai.
Last Sunday, after service, we went to lunch with a few of our friends from the church to a restaurant in the city. For me it was as if something came to life once we stepped into the main street in the city centre. The whole city was lighted with all these lights, loads and loads of people all over the street walking up and down with their loved ones, shopping and enjoying the day. There were signs everywhere where I could read how stores were trying to cash in for the month. We went to the restaurant and after lunch, my wife and I decided to spend sometime in the city main street and walk together with our children and see all that the town had to offer on that day. Our daughters seemed to enjoy the afternoon as they got to ride on the “merry-go-round” (I don’t know what the real word is) eat candy, run around and us trying to hold on to them. Everyone around us (as far as I noticed) seemed to be enjoying the afternoon, despite the cold biting wind. Suddenly I was struck with the thought: “is shopping and having fun for a day the real reason behind this festive season?”
The newspapers adverts, the signs, the billboards (even though there are none where I live) the toy store catalogues and every thing around me seemed to really bring out the above question more and more in my mind.
I personally, do believe that the real reason behind the season is that for 2000 and some years ago, God became man and was born into time, space and matter. Jesus Christ, Gods only begotten son was born to a Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem.
His birth, announced to the shepherds by a choir of angels, caused both curiosity but also rejoicing, because there was a message attached to the words of that glorious heavenly choir. Please allow me to state the words of that glorious heavenly choir, that brought such curiosity, hope and joy all at the same time to these shepherds. The choir announced “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11).
That my dear friend is the reason for the season, that for you and me was born for 2000 years ago, in Bethlehem, a saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
Let this festive month of December bring to your remembrance, that your sins are forgiven, and that you are in right standing with God, because unto you was born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
