Remind Yourself
Isn’t it funny how we have an app dedicated to reminders? Of all the apps that could come standard on your phone, “Reminders” is one of them. As we go about our busy lives, Thanksgiving this week and Christmas soon after, things can easily fall to the wayside.
Each and every Sunday we are reminded of the gospel story. No matter what book of the bible we are going through, it all points to our glorious Savior. From the very beginning, God created it all to glorify Him. The earth, trees, animals, you, me…EVERYTHING. After the Fall, things took a turn for the worse. pride, hatred, murder, war, anxiety, depression, fear, lashing out when the last “Tickle-Me Elmo” was taken, idolatry, the list goes on and on and on. Yet, in His grace and sovereignty, God planned One to come, our Savior who would wipe away the tears, who would ultimately satisfy, who brings hope and peace, who lived the perfect life we couldn’t, died the death we deserved, and rose to new life, defeating sin and death. Those who believe in Christ’s work would be healed, redeemed, saved, made anew. What glorious news!!! Even to this day, He is working to call the lost to Him and offer salvation and hope. He’s working through His Holy Spirit, forming us into the image of His Son.
Now let’s face it, we’re forgetful people. So, it makes sense that we need an app dedicated to reminding us to do things. it makes sense that we need to be reminded of the gospel each and every week. It even makes sense that we need a reminder of why we even celebrate Christmas. It’s so easy to get caught up in the lights, gifts, Hallmark movies, music. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” as much as the next person. I might even argue I’m the biggest fan of that song this side of the “Mississip’ ”. I mean once Thanksgiving is over, that song is on REPEAT! But, I digress.
You may say, “Oh, I know it’s about Jesus.” But, do we really take the time to slow down, stop, and think of the impact of that glorious event? The implications of the Word taking on flesh to save and redeem the lost and broken. The King of kings was born in a house fit for livestock in order to save us. If anything were a complete game changer, this was it!! It COMPLETELY changed the world. Take a moment to read through this article and remember the source of all this holiday celebration.
Bright lights, bows, green’s, red’s…there is no doubt Christmas time is upon us. Houses are decorated with lights and blow-up characters. Christmas trees are decorated inside homes. Downtown streets are decorated with lights and those outlined angels on the light poles. When you walk into a store or turn on the radio, there is a flood of Christmas music from every station. I love Christmas.
If you think about it, there is no other day/holiday that is so openly centered on Jesus Christ. Think about it…not July 4th, not Thanksgiving, not Valentine’s Day. Many musical artists will sing the classic Christmas songs such as “Joy to the World” or “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Each of these songs boldly shares of the Savior to come. My question is do they know what they are singing? Do we know what we are singing? With Christmas coming yearly and having so much associated excitement, we can rush right on through Christmas without taking the time to remember the reason for the season. We too can be singing these songs but forget what these words mean.
In the Bible we see countless examples of God calling us to stop and remember, both in the Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament after a great event in which God had brought His people through, they would make an altar out of rocks and other materials (Gen 8:20, Ex 17:15). This was so that whenever they would see that altar, they would remember the great work God has done. In the New Testament we find the writers urging the church to remember(Acts 20:35, Eph 2). Remember the story of the Gospel. Remember how God has created us in His image. Remember that we rejected Him and turned towards ourselves. REMEMBER how Christ took on flesh in the form of a baby and humbly went to the cross to die for us to redeem us and restore us, to bring us back into God’s family. Remember, Remember, Remember.
As we get closer to Christmas, there are more and more family gatherings and Christmas parties. I want to encourage you to do two things:
1.) REMEMBER the reason for Christmas –
Continue to enjoy and celebrate Christmas. As you sing Christmas songs in the car or at work, take a moment and listen and remember. Listen to the words that point to our glorious Savior. As we cook and labor over hot meals, remember the one who came to labor for us to be redeemed. As we enjoy one another’s company, remember Christ who seeks a relationship with us. As we wrap or open presents, remember the greatest gift of all, the birth of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ!
2.) REMEMBER to share the meaning and joy of Christmas with others –
As we come in contact with so many people, let us remember Christ and that He is the greatest news we could ever share with them. Be engaged and love them. Ask a question about their Christmas traditions, what their favorite part about this season is, what’s their fondest Christmas memory. Listen and share your own stories. Share the reason for the season. Share your excitement of presents and family. Share your excitement of the birth of our Savior!
Here is a link to 10 simple questions that you can ask that can help start conversations.
http://www.sbts.edu/blogs/2015/12/11/10-questions-to-ask-at-your-christmas-gathering/
Merry Christmas!