How should we celebrate Christmas? With all the focus on materialism and secularism the joy of Christmas tends to get buried. Even Christians can get so caught up in the cultural aspects of Christmas that its significance and application are lost. Christmas is the celebration of God's activity on our behalf. He invaded time to free us from captivity and establish his kingdom within each of us.
In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah God did a similar thing for Israel. They had been taken captive by oppressors. God sent Nehemiah to lead in the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem. Upon completion of the task there was a day of celebration. The activity of that day could serve as a guide for us as we celebrate God's work in our restoration. Nehemiah encouraged the people in Nehemiah 8:10 to "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord." The three-pronged focus of the day was on gladness, giving and godliness.
Christmas should have a similar focus. It is a time of gladness for what God has done and is doing in our lives. Having been abundantly blessed by God's gift we should have the desire to share with others by giving not only material gifts but the gift of salvation we enjoy. Finally, Christmas must be a time of godliness. We must celebrate the sacred with lives that are sacred. We cannot sing "Joy to the World" with faces of sorrow. Our lives act out the celebration of which we sing. Let's borrow and enact the focus of the "Old Testament Christmas" of Nehemiah.
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