It’s vital to our spiritual health that we remember the central proclamation of Christmas. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, God’s greatest gift to the world. Jesus is our Emmanuel, which means Jesus is “God-with-us.” Jesus is the promise that God is always with us. Jesus is the Word made flesh. Jesus is God’s love in the flesh.
One of my favorite Christmas anthems is a quiet song for children titled “Remember” by Cathy Skogen-Soldner. The main words are simply beautiful: “Remember. Remember: God is always with you. Remember. Remember: God is always there.”
As the song continues, we’re taught: “Behind, beside, before you as a guide, remember God is always there.” This is the blessing of the Christmas season. It’s also the blessing of daily life beyond Christmas. God is with us ALWAYS. Yes, in Christ, God came into our world over 2000 years ago, but the promise is that God remains with us, still. That’s always true.
The song continues, “God is there when the sun shines all around you. God is there in the middle of the night. Don’t be afraid: God will never, ever leave you. You are a child who is precious is God’s sight.”
That God loves us, and holds us a precious, is central to the Christian faith! It’s central to life.
The holy (and hectic) season of Christmas, is a celebration of the holy birth. As we celebrate, it’s really important to remember. Remember what Christ has done for us, his birth, his life, his death, his resurrection.
Dear friends, remember. Remember that God, in Christ Jesus, is with you. God is with you now and always. Remember.
