Sunday, 20 December 2009
And four are for God's people
It is the last Sunday before Christmas! Things are getting hectic in the shops! If, as I have, you've finished your Christmas shopping, you might be sat by a roaring log fire, feeling rather smug. But, if you're still rushing all over the place, desperate to tick off all the presents on your list, then perhaps you're not be in the best of moods at this very moment. Did someone push in front of you in a queue, and make you cross? Or, as you reached out to pick up an item on your list, the only one left in the entire shop, did some rude person snatch it away from you?
It can be frustrating when that happens! So, take a few deep breaths, calm down a little, and let's look at another Christmas shape together! We've already discussed the star, the cane and the heart, so what other shape is there associated with Christmas? Have a guess!
Is it a... crown? No. A dove? Nope. A stocking? Not even close! Actually, it is this: a bauble - I mean, a circle (I know that a bauble is really a sphere, but since we're looking at 2D shapes here, I thought we'd flatten it for this discussion).
Now, I can hear what you're saying: what's so Christmassy about a circle? Well, obviously, most baubles are this shape, and so are halos (maybe you think they're somewhat oval-shaped in paintings, but that's because of perspective, honest!). Halos, often depicted over the infant and mother in many paintings of the Nativity, represent the purity and holiness of Christ. And, in maths, when dealing with fractions, the circle is used to illustrate a whole.
Yes, I said the word "maths" and many people think the subject very dull, but please bear with me here: Christ came down to earth to pay the price for sin. Whose sin?
The answer is all our sins – and not just those who go to church and call themselves Christians. Christ died for the whole of humanity's sin – he is the Saviour of the World!
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
1 John, Chapter 4, verses 13-16, NIV
This has huge implications for those of us who have acknowledged Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. And you may not like it...
If you have accepted Christ into your life, Christ wants you to share His love with all of those around you, too. All those around you. That means your family, your friends, your boss, your co-workers, and even strangers that you meet while out shopping...
Which, of course, includes that person who pushed in front of you in a queue, or the one who snatched the last item on your list, or the person who wasn't looking where they were going, walked straight into you and then complained about you being in the way. We are called to share Christ's love with everyone, including them. We are called to spread the Good News to everyone, and not just the people we like!
Are you doing enough to make sure everyone around you learns the true meaning of Christmas? Start spreading some Christmas cheer today! And maybe... you might even find it helps you rediscover your own Christmas Spirit!
