Since around Thanksgiving, we began hearing about Christmas if not before. We began to see the commercials for possible gifts, movies, cartoons and being in the Christmas “spirit”. Every single Christmas movie that I have watched, which held to the older values of Hallmark, mentions either the “spirit” of Christmas, the “magic” of Christmas or a Christmas “miracle.” They make you believe that this “spirit”, “magic” or “miracle” of Christmas is all about the love a person finds when they find their true physical love and they find it by the end of the movie. The big kiss scene is always at the end of the movie. The entire description of the movie is that the “spirit” of Christmas, the “magic” of Christmas or the Christmas “miracle” is what brings these two people together. That the “spirit”, “magic” or “miracle” heals the person who does not have true love in their life. That the “spirit” is all in the decorations, sharing in family time that’s spent together doing different Christmas activities, sharing each other’s Christmas traditions and falling in love all during that time. I am like most women, I do enjoy some of these movies because they leave out all of the cussing, fighting, death and nudity that the more secular movies must include to sell tickets. No I don’t agree with some of the newer plots and relationships they’ve implemented so I don’t support those movies. But if I were to guess I would say those plots have the same “spirit” of Christmas, “magic” of Christmas or Christmas “miracle” for love.

So let me ask you and myself, do we really believe in the “spirit”, “magic” or “miracle” of Christmas? Do we really believe it’s found in finding the true love of your life? YES, to a degree!! Only it’s not the physical, earthly “true love” those movies are portraying and it’s NOT some “spirit” of Christmas nor the “magic” of Christmas. The True Love of Christmas is the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus Christ and people “finding” the true love of God. It’s salvation, being cleansed by the blood of Jesus which will wash a sinful black heart and make it white as snow. It’s forgiveness, blessed holy forgiveness that comes from confessing openly, inviting Jesus into your heart then going and sinning no more. To strive with all of your ability to live a life for God and putting aside yourself, all possessions and all fleshly desires. It’s comfort, the Comforter – the Holy Ghost indwelling you to connect you straight to God as He guides you, directs you and comforts you during hardship. It’s peace, Peace like a river that runs straight from the throne of God. A river, Living Water, that quenches that thirst you’ve been trying to fill up with everything else in life. It’s the truest connection you’ll ever have with God first, then and only then, will you realize what true love is and will be able to love with all of yourself; your spouse you’ll love as yourself because you fully realize that the two of you are one flesh until death do you part. Your children, you’ll love with a forgiving love that is easy to overlook their faults in order to help them to their victories. Your parents, you’ll love in a way that deepens your trust and respect in them as an adult because now you see and understand many of the hard decisions they had to made. Your neighbors (which is everyone else), you’ll love in a way that respects God, as we are told to love our neighbors as ourselves. Why? Because we should honestly love them enough to want them to know Jesus as their personal Savior. If you want a “Christmas miracle” share the true love of God with everyone you meet. If you want a to know what the “spirit of Christmas” is then you need to look at the manger as the only begotten Son of God left all of the splendor of heaven to make the word of God flesh, to be the One who walked this earth without sin and understands everything we go through, to be the Sacrificial Lamb who gave His life for our sin debt, to be the Risen Savior of the world. Who came to save the world, not condemn the world. If you want to be healed, to find that true love, then you must first look to the cross, there you’ll find the truest love you’ll ever know. Then you pray, asking God to send to you the one who was created to be your spouse – a true physical love. If you want to know what the “magic of Christmas” is then you need to look away from evil because magic is not of God. The love of Christmas is Christ. You cannot have one without the other.

Lord God my Heavenly Father, Please forgive me for the time when I didn’t see the truth about Christmas nor the truth about Your pure, true love. Thank You for revealing Your truth to me. I am grateful for my salvation, for the forgiveness You’ve shown me and for Your long-suffering patience with me. I am grateful that true love (Jesus) lives in me, that You’ve given me my true love, Matt, who honestly loves me because he also knows Your true love. Thank you for our family, for our wonderful memories and Thank You for CHRISTmas!