A Christmas Reflection

As I sit here Christmas morning, I can't help but reflecting on something that God revealed to me.  I woke up early... really early.  I didn't wake up because of the excitement of what Santa brought and put under the tree, but because (I believe) God wanted to spend some time with me and speak words of encouragement and love to me.  So as I prepared my coffee and sat down with my Bible, I began to read the letter Paul wrote to Titus.  Within this letter, God spoke to me through four seemingly small verses:

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. - Titus 2:11-14

In these four verses, God reminded me of two important things:

1. No Christmas... No Grace - It's easy to get caught up in the presents, the tree, the lights, the food, the family... all good things, but they are not the most important thing.  We celebrate Christmas because Christmas is the birth of Jesus.  Without the birth of Jesus, then God's grace would not have been revealed to us.  God chose to show us His grace through Jesus!  I like the way Tony Merida describes God's grace, "The grace of God refers to His unmerited favor, His goodness and kindness, His compassion and mercy demonstrated to undeserving sinners."  That's grace... God's undeserved favor towards me a sinner!  God's grace showed up in the form of a baby named Jesus to bring salvation to all people!  Jesus was born to show me grace.  So simply put... No Jesus, no grace.
2. No Christmas... No Hope - God reminded me that God's grace is also accompanied by His glory!  As I live in the world today, I am continually reminded that this earth is not my home and this world is not where I will spend eternity.  However, right now I am called to wait.  I am waiting for "that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed."  Titus 2:11-14 shows us two appearances... the appearance of God's grace through the birth of Jesus and we wait for the appearance of God's glory when He will come and establish His kingdom here on earth.  Both appearances speak of one person: Jesus.  Without Christmas, there would be no Jesus and ultimately no hope for the future that God has for me.  With a constant gaze and the experience of grace, our eyes are fixed heavenward with one and only one hope: His coming!*

Paul writes that God's grace and glory can be summed up in one simple word... Jesus.  God has offered His grace and glory to all people!

So this Christmas I choose to celebrate Jesus... not my family, not what's under the tree or in a stocking hung by the chimney with care... I choose to celebrate the grace that has been given to me by God who came in the form of a baby to endure a cross for my sin.  I choose to celebrate the fact that Jesus took away the penalty, the power and will ultimately take away the presence of sin in my life.  That is Christmas and I am so thankful God reminded me of that this morning.

Merry Christmas!

- Rick

* Platt, David, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida. Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2013. 281. Print.