Christmas is our most important holiday, and its literature is correspondingly rich. Yet until now no adequate bundle of Christmas treasures in poetry and prose has found its way onto the Internet for Winter, Christmas, the birth of Christ, Santa Claus, and so much more..The True Evergreen and Life Everlasting
Yes, my child, Christmas is giving, in the name of Christ. But-Christmas is also receiving! Is that hard to understand? It shouldn’t be. What would you think of the Christmas “spirit” of a friend who wasn’t even grateful enough to thank you for a present? If he has the Christmas spirit at all, he will receive it with joy and gratitude and thanks, because of the love which prompted the gift. The Bible says that God so loved this world that He gave His only Son, and that “as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God…” As many as received Him! When we understand that, we understand that receiving is even more important than giving, at Christmas!
Let me illustrate what I mean. Suppose a child had an overabundance of beautiful toys, and he saw a poor, ragged little fellow with no toys at all. He would feel sorry for the luckless youngster, and offer him one of the best toys he had, as a present. But-he says he doesn’t want it! He still looks unhappy, when he says it. So the benevolent one picks out another, and offers that, and that one is rejected. He tries several times, and finally offers him his favorite toy, the one he loves best, the one he really wanted to keep forever. The other looks at it for a moment, shrugs, and turns away. This would be too bad, wouldn’t it? This could have been a real Christmas for the boy, but he wouldn’t receive the gift…
Can you imagine how God feels when He offers us His only Son, and we reject Him, even crucify Him on a cross? You see, my child, to really receive Christmas you must receive Christ first; the rejoicing comes later…
What does it mean to receive Christ? It means to understand that He came into the world to save sinners, and that we are all sinners by nature. We need to be saved from our sinful natures, or, as the Bible says, to be “born again.” Or, if you will, “made over.” When we receive Christ and take Him into our lives and let Him make those lives over, then we receive the Supreme Gift, for He comes into our hearts through His Holy Spirit and we experience the gift that is Christmas, the joy of union with God, and peace on earth and good will toward men.
Christmas is not just a date on our calendar; it is a state of heart.
The folks who have the best time on December 25 are those who have received Him, and who give in remembrance of Him. Suppose we set up a different Christmas tree this year! Suppose we set one up in our hearts. Suppose the tree is Jesus Christ, the True Evergreen, and the Life Everlasting. Suppose we adorn this tree with the gifts He brings to those who accept Him-love, forgiveness, patience, hope, charity, peace, mercy, understanding, humility. Suppose we turn on the lights of this tree very brightly, and keep them on! If we do this, our “traditional” tree will take on a new and richer meaning.
Speaking of the Christmas tree-trees, you know, have been historically recognized as symbols of everlasting life. That is, no tree ever dies: it leaves new life behind it, in seed and acorn. Job says that “… there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again…” and we are told in the first Psalm that one who loves the Lord “shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water… “It is all symbolic of the rebirth of Christ in the human heart. Every time a repentant and seeking heart says, “I believe…” the King and Lord of all is born anew in the humble dwelling of the heart.
The Christ Child in us must be allowed to grow, and we allow Him to grow, like an everlasting tree as we, His branches, bear fruit fit for His Kingdom.
This, my child, is a wonderful mystery, but it happens. I have seen it, and experienced it…
The Bible says that the human heart is by nature deceitful, and desperately wicked. But Jesus wants His home there, so that His Spirit can change that heart. You know, when once I opened my heart to Christ in sincere faith, I was just like a little child seeing her first “Christmas tree.” All of a sudden everything around me looked new and beautiful and shining… I was like a new tree “planted by the rivers of water…” It was the crowning Christmas of my life.
