THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

For a long time, we have lived with the notion that Christmas is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and there is a widely held notion that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season, and it is true, no doubt about that position. But I want to take it forward and say that we are primarily the reason for the season. Of course, we can't celebrate ourselves on this day, because we have birthdays for that. And why did I take this stance? Well, it is simple: if there was no need for salvation, Jesus Christ would not have been born, and there would be no Christmas to celebrate.

I am writing this to get us thinking, so we can have a personal reflection and just maybe so that we can understand what Christmas means for humanity besides the gifts, family vacay and the celebration that comes with Christmas.

Why was Christ Born?

Atonement for our sin: You see, before the fall of man, Jesus was with God in heaven, taking care of business from His throne above. Even after the fall of man, He was still in heaven because priests and sacrifices were used to atone for the sins of men, but this was a temporary solution. Plus, when someone sins, they are far from God and are treated like an outcast until their sins are atoned for. Imagine being like a stranger to God. In the first instance, men were created to be in fellowship with God; if we sin, we are estranged from God, which defeats our creation's purpose. But it reached a point where God said, nah, we can't continue like this. And so God, thinking of a lasting solution to bring us back to fellowship with Him, decided to send His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice, not only to atone for our sins but to reconcile us and bring us back to a relationship with our father and creator.  

A verse that comes to mind when I think of God's love is Psalms 8.4-6: "What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honour. You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet. Thinking about this, God loves us and wants a relationship with us. He is practically mindful of us because how do you explain that he has hosts of angels in heaven worshipping Him every second, yet he, for lack of better words, is not content or satisfied with that? He even had His only begotten son with Him, yet he still yearned for a relationship with us that he was willing to sacrifice His son for us. I still can't comprehend this level of love. It is no wonder the bible said he is a jealous God. He is jealous of us; he doesn't want to share us with the world, and why should he, after sacrificing His son for us even though he got Him back, but the pain He and His son had to endure just to save us I cannot comprehend. It is no wonder that when we who have accepted Christ fall away, it is as though we are crucifying Christ again after the sacrifice he has made. Hebrews 6:6 "and then have fallen away to be restored to repentance, because they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame".

To set an example of Christian living for us: When I think of this, I think sometimes that maybe Adam and Eve sinned because they had no blueprint on how to live, but hey, it is my thought. They were created and had everything at their disposal. I think God trusted them too much to do the right thing. So when that failed, we needed someone to show us the way. And that is why Jesus Christ was born as a man so He could feel all human emotions. So, while on earth, He was human, and from the age of 12, He had already started teaching us what it means to be a child with a zeal for the things of God; while His heart was in the right place, it was not the right time, because after that incident we did not hear about Him again until He was 30. At the age of 30, we glimpsed into the temptation he faced as a human, how he overcame by the word of God, and how His ministry started after His baptism by water and affirmation from his father through the dove. When He started His ministry, we were introduced to what it means to love and have compassion on people regardless of who they are, Jesus taught us what it means to have a relationship with God and have total dependence on Him. Christ also taught us how to have relationships

with people. We also have evidence of the anguish he felt when he was about to be crucified, he cried so much that His sweat was as thick as blood. The Life of Christ is a perfect example for us. No wonder Paul writing to the people of Corints said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Since this thought crossed my mind, I approach Christmas with the same awe and reverence I have for easter because it all started because of me; Christ was born, died, and rose again because of me,

So, in saying that, while celebrating Jesus Christ's birth, let us approach the season with a heart of gratitude, knowing that Christ did not have to be born, but because of us, he was born to save us from sin and reconcile us to God. Knowing that we are the reason for the season, let us ensure we are making the most of the salvation we received and staying true to the calling God has called us.

Merry Christmas to all my loves and sweethearts.

Victoria