Are you ready for Christmas?
Many people never seem to be ready for Christmas. They rush around trying to get ready. They shop for presents at the very last minute. Always worried if everything will be ready for family and guests. Even Christmas day seems like a mad rush.
This year will present added difficulties. Travel restrictions. Quarantines. Gathering recommendations and restrictions. Concerns for elders and others at risk.
All of the above are legitimate. They are real issues we struggle with at Christmas. But, this isn’t the readiness I am speaking about.
Hope
The preparation for Christmas I speak of is having a hope for the return of Christ. If you don’t have a hope in the return of Jesus then celebrating the birth of Christ must be difficult.
The birth of the little child celebrated by millions is the same person who promised to come again. The first coming of the messiah set the stage for the second coming of the Son of God.
If we genuinely celebrate “Emmanuel has come” we must also celebrate “Emmanuel will come” just as he promised and as the angels said to the disciples.
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11, NRSV).
The Christian Hope
As believers in Jesus Christ our hope is in the second coming of Christ. We know he was born as the prophets proclaimed. Yes, we will celebrate his birth. But his birth is much more than a baby in a manger. Christ was born to save us from our sins and give us the promise of eternal life.
What’s more! He promised to come again. This time, things will be much different. He is coming to gather his children unto him. The return of Jesus is the Christian hope.
Are you ready to celebrate Christmas? Hope in the return of Christ.
