The first year I worked in a Christmas warehouse put together by combined charities, I saw over 400 families represented and the second year almost double that. Parents who were eligible for support came and chose up to 6 toys/gifts per child under age 12. Some families had 8 children, others one. Trolleys were donated from the local food store and I watched trolleys leave the warehouse loaded to the hilt, many with more than one trolley full. There were thousands of donated toys; barbie dolls, trucks, kites, puzzles, clothes, boogie-boards, scooters, jewellery, fluffy toys, gadgets, books and even bicycles. Everything was brand new.  The charity and kindness of the local community who donated all these goods was astronomical and most moving.

Putting aside all the warm fuzzies of such an experience, I have to admit that something about the whole event disturbed me. I kept asking myself “Why are we doing this? What message are we giving the community?”  It seemed to me that even though our intentions and motives were good, kind and compassionate, something had gone skewwhiff.  We had become part of the message to the community that Commercial Christmas is crucial to a happy Christmas and that Christmas is the most important time of the year for love, generosity and family.

Just over 2 years ago, my husband and I began our journey into what some call ‘organic church’. Surprisingly, this journey has become more about knowing a bigger Christ than ‘doing church’, which we are literally, eternally, grateful for. Along the way, one of the things the Lord has opened my eyes to, is that the big ‘Christmas day’ that it has now become, is just another day to Him.

If you are poor, you’re not a lesser person for being poor at Christmas too. If you love the Lord at Christmas, why not love Him all year? If you love to give gifts to people, why not do it all year? If you don’t have a big family at any other time of the year, why do you have to feel unusually lonely on the 25th of December? If we love to sing about Jesus and tell children about Jesus being born in a manger in Bethlehem, why not sing about Him every day and tell our children about who Jesus is now?

I have understood that God is outside of time and is completely obsessed with Jesus all the time, for it pleased the fullness to dwell in Him. Jesus is no more celebrated in heaven on one particular day than on any other. I was so blessed to read a blog from a brother (click here to read). He beautifully points out the awe and wonder at Jesus being born here on earth as both the Son of God and the Son of Man – that it was His humanity, the fact that here was God’s eternal purpose being fulfilled, that captivated everyone and captured the attention even of the angels and demons alike. I don’t believe their obsession with Him has ever changed. Jesus is the most glorious of all that has ever been and will ever be. He is eternal. He is forever. He is All and in all. He is astoundingly and outrageously awesome. He is glorious. He can never be described in His fullness. He is magnificence itself. He cannot be reduced to a once-a-year birthday boy. He is so much more than that…..So much more.

So have a great day tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day ……. 🙂