And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12.
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:4-7.
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” John 17:1-5.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
Where are you this Christmas? Are you in Me or are you in the world? Are you thinking of the greatness of what took place that first Christmas or are you concentrating on “holiday” gifts, greetings, and parties?
The way the world defines Christmas can be filled with anxiety, excessive spending on things that people will just toss away or that will not have any lasting significance in their lives, and wasted time. And yet even in the worldly preparation there is an anticipation of joy. No one has quite been able to remove the joy from Christmas time. Adults and children anticipate gifts, parties, lights, music, decorations, and time off whether they are consciously thinking of Me or not.
No one has really been able to erase the real reason for Christmas from the season. And the real reason for the joy of Christmas is My gift to all people, which is the best, biggest and most valuable gift of all. It is the gift that filled the sky with My glory and a host of angels over a field in Bethlehem. It is the gift that was announced by My angel saying: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10. It is a gift that is all wrapped up in the most beautiful baby the world has ever seen or will ever see (and a baby makes everyone smile and become rather childlike as they talk to the baby and make cute faces so the baby will smile). And it is a gift of God with you—a Savior born for you who is Messiah and Lord. Luke 2:11.
Yes, just as My angel proclaimed so loudly over the earth more than two thousand years ago, Christmas is good news of great joy for all people. Peace is made between you and Me and I am now one with you. Forever.
No one can remove the joy from Christmas. And no one really wants to.
You will be so much happier, however, if you spend Christmas with, in and through Me rather than in the world looking only at tinsel, Santa Claus, and his elves. Those decorations and made up stories will never satisfy your hungry heart or weary soul. They will never fill your emptiness so that your joy is complete. They will bring fleeting joy but My Son will give you joy forever. You are made complete in Christ for He again joins you with Me and makes you partakers of the Divine nature. And I am filled with joy and peace—joy unspeakable and peace unshakeable.
And you know, no earthly lights or holiday extravaganza can equal the magnificence of My Glory. If you really have searched for a show filled with glitter and glow you should have seen the night sky filled with a multitude of My Heavenly host over the shepherds outside Bethlehem the night My Son was born. My glory was so bright it seemed like the most brilliant day that had ever happened. No one can put on a show like I do. I know how to do events in awesome ways.
And once you make a habit of seeing Me with you by faith and living in My presence you will find that in My presence there is always fullness of joy, and I will never leave you or forsake you. My Son is with you always until the end of this age and then you will be permanently with Us in My Kingdom.
If you turn your attention to the Holy Child of Light this Christmas no matter where you are in your busy and distracting day then you will come to share My joy in what happened at Christmas. For I planned Christmas since before the foundation of the world and I waited with such excitement and anticipation to give you My gift at just the right time and in just the right place.
Have you ever been so excited about the wonderful gift you were giving someone that you could hardly wait to give it to them? If so, you will begin to understand a little of what I felt waiting to give you the gift of My Son to be your own personal Savior, Friend, Brother, Healer, Shepherd, Redeemer, and great High Priest! For He is the gift of Myself to you for all I have is His and all He has is Mine. I was in Christ reconciling the world to Myself and in seeing Him, you see Me.
And My gift is wrapped in your humanity. And when you receive and open My gift you are then wrapped again in My divinity. For He brings you grace upon grace.
So even if you are in the shopping mall, imagine the Holy Child of Light there with you. Carry Him in your arms and show Him the Christmas trees, lights, and sparkling stars and explain that it is all because of Him that all these festivities are taking place. He really is the reason for the season though the world has tried to steal that glory and joy away from Him and move it to the life of sensual lust, enticements for the eyes and a pretentious life, which does not come from Me but from the world. 1 John 2:16. But the world and its enticements are passing away—they quickly fade and leave you emptier than you were before you chased them. It is only My Joy that lasts forever.
I so loved the world that I gave you My Son so that you might have eternal life and never perish. Even the world that denies Me recognizes “the spirit of Christmas” and when the world speaks of that they mean generosity in giving freely to others, love, peace, unity—but above all they mean generosity in giving. Commercialism capitalizes on the giving to make people spend money buying gifts for everyone but they are right that the Spirit of Christmas is generous, joyful giving. For that is what Christmas is all about—it is about the gift of My Son to you for free from Me so that by His poverty you could become rich—so that by His death you are born again and have eternal life. It is all about the gift of eternal life which I promised you before time began. Titus 1:2.
No one can ever take the joy and spirit of giving out of Christmas. They can try to mask the source and true reason for that joy and generous giving but no one can truly take it away. Nor does anyone really want to for basically you all want to be happy. I made you that way so you could share My joy with Me. Come and spend your time in My house this Christmas, for there is forgiveness, fellowship, fine things, food, and fun in My House and it is all wrapped up My Son.
Where are you this Christmas? Follow the Holy Child of Light to My House. The door is always open, the lights are always on, and I gave you a little Child to lead you.
Look for Him everywhere. You will find Him with you.
I love you. Merry Christmas!