Today is December 24 2008. I am sitting on the couch at my mom's house--the house I grew up in. We are so blessed to be home for Christmas this year. I wish the circumstances that allowed us to be here were better, but we are here nonetheless. 2008 was a rough year, but it is almost over! Even better, tonight we will gather at Light of the World United Methodist Church to celebrate Emmanuel--God with Us. It is important to be with family on Christmas, when possible. It is good to give gifts, when possible. But there is more and I am sorry if this seems kind of "bah-humbuggy," I am discouraged by what I see. Being with family & giving & receiving gifts are ways to celebrate because they can bring joy. However, what I notice more often than not, is that these traditions bring stress and the burden of debt and disappointment.
Okay, enough of that, sorry. As I said above, there is more, so much more. Christmas is a time to celebrate the Kenosis (emptying of self) of the Second Person of the Trinity that the Apostle Paul described in chapter 2 of his letter to the church at Philipi:
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
**Christmas is about giving, but not a Red Rider BB Gun or Nintendo Wii, it's about giving of me. God Bless! RevKev <{{{><
