Merry Christmas: We Are Free!

 
This past week's Wall Street Journal carried a fine piece by its books and culture editor John Wilson on "Why Christians Overemphasize Christmas." His thesis is not what one might expect, a rant about how Christmas trumps Easter and shouldn't, but that "Easter is implicit in Christmas, and Christmas is implicit in Easter. When we celebrate the one, we celebrate the other, looking forward to the restoration of all things."

Today's Epistle reading, Hebrews 2:10-18, reminded me of this in a powerful way.Verses 14 and 15 read,

 "Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death."

That is really what Christmas is about, isn't it? God came to us in human form, and became like us in every way except that he was free of sin, so that our lives might be no longer ruled by the iron hand of death, a dread fear which governs every aspect of sin. We are free! ... free to love, free to give, free to serve. The peace, comfort and joy we hear about at Christmas are consequences of this blessed life of freedom. Maybe next year's Christmas card can be emblazoned with Hebrews 14 and 15. I dare you!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

LET CREATION SING

The heart of worship

Feed My Sheep