On Christmas morning we looked at the phrase ‘Christmas is for the children!’ There’s no doubt that the joy and excitement children feel over this festive period is wonderful to behold, and it’s understandable that we associate Christmas with children since it’s the time when we celebrate God in human form, coming as a helpless, vulnerable baby. But even though we may associate Christmas with children, it’s definitely not just for the children.
Christmas is for everyone. It’s a time when we marvel again at God’s way of doing things, at how salvation comes in the form we don’t expect (a baby, not a ruling king) and in a place we don’t really expect (a manger in a stable in a town called Bethlehem, rather in Jerusalem, the seat of royal power.) Isaiah prophesied about this hundreds of years before it happened (Isaiah 11:1-9), looking ahead to a time when ‘the wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.’ (Is 11:6) So we need to embrace the wonder, innocence, awe and joy of children (see Matt 18:3, Matt 19:15) whilst understanding that Christmas holds meaning way beyond the glitz, glamour, presents and fairy-tales associated with it. Christmas is good news all year round, and we need to ‘go, tell it from the mountain! Over the hills and everywhere! Go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born!’ Shake those instruments, dance around and sing it loud. We’ve got good news for everyone!
