One of the many things I love about the Lord as I get to know Him more is that He dances to His own tune. He cannot be put in a box. Just because He did something in a certain way once doesn’t mean He’ll do it the same way again. Just because He brings us to a point of understanding or insight doesn’t mean we’ve got it all and there’s nothing left on that matter for us to discover. He will even shock us. Just when we thought we had Him all neat and tidy on a certain issue, He comes and blows the roof right off!

In 2014, I did a blog post here on Christmas. It’s called The Christmas Matrix, and you can read it here.  In this post, I express my and Derek’s view on Christmas which had evolved in us since we had a mind-blowing and life-altering revelation of Jesus Christ. Our view hasn’t changed since then, but that’s where the Lord is so exciting because this Christmas He has come in and breathed new life into it. Like when 3D first came into film.

Even a new insight the Lord gives can become religious if we are rigid in our views. I’m not talking about compromising on our convictions, I’m talking about being rigid so that God Himself can’t even get in there to show us something deeper or greater or brighter or more amazing without ever flipping on the insight He originally gave us.

When we are rigid about things in God, well that’s called religion. You see, scripture tells and confirms our experience that we are all being changed from glory to glory. That means we are being changed, renewed, and transformed. That means it’s ongoing, right? So the level of light we have this year will hopefully change and develop over the next year. The degree of understanding we have now will hopefully create a new shape of understanding in us in time to come as we continue to grow in Him. And back to my original point – He just dances to His own tune and I love Him for that because He is never boring, He is always bigger and better. He’s fun, He’s uncontainable, He’s magical, sensational and enormous.

So, here’s my story about the way Derek and I are celebrating Christmas this year without compromising the understanding God has given us and without being religious about it.

One particular thing in our life has changed. We have a grandson. This is our first Christmas to spend with him (other than when he was one month old) and we are tickled pink that our son and daughter-in-law and grandson are coming to sleep over on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas morning with us. I can’t tell you the depth of meaning this has for us.

So. I grew up with the traditions of the Christmas tree, the presents under it, the excitement of Christmas morning, opening up the presents, a house filled with decorations, candles, Christmas music and so on. The bon-bons on the dining table, the big roast dinner for all the family. The smell of gardenias; the sense of magic in the air. As a child, Christmas was sensational. It was like living in Disneyland for a couple of days (I’m a huge fan of Disneyland by the way).

Having this precious little guy spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with us has caused me to turn to the Lord and ask how I can present Christmas to him? And to his mum and dad. I just love how involved the Lord is in our lives, how He knows our hearts and is more than willing to lead us when we ask Him. God knew I didn’t want to celebrate Santa or commercialism or even pretend that Christmas day is a real thing in God’s eyes. He also knew I wanted to express Him to this little family in a way that would be memorable in the mind of a four year old. He also knew that I wanted excitement and a sense of that special magic for him, that I grew up with.

Early in the morning with Him, the Lord showed me three things to put under the tree. Take note. That sentence included the presence of a tree. A Christmas tree. Ok, so I understood I was to get a Christmas tree. And then put these three things under it.

1. A present box representing gold
2. A present box representing frankincense
3. A present box representing myrrh

So first things first. I gotta buy a tree. It’s four days before Christmas by now. As I roam the crowded shops with my trolley in search of a tree, I can’t find one. They’re all gone. So I’m looking for some ornament or even a tree that might be a few feet high to sit on a table. I mumble to myself with agitation about the Christmas tree obsession in society. “This tree thing God, it’s nuts. The whole world is obsessed with the tree. Every house has to have one, it’s in the centre of every home, it’s in the malls, it’s everwhere. Everyone worships the blooming tree”.

Yes. We gather around and worship the tree. Wait. THE TREE. The tree of life! Jesus Christ is the Tree of Life! The Christmas Tree is a picture/shadow and type of Jesus! You can interpret it as the cross of Calvary because due to that cross we now have life or you can simply interpret it as the Tree of Life Himself. God can use anything!

Wowser. This was new! This was new to me! It seemed to me, God wasn’t concerned at all about this tree thing, and in fact He had a way and a plan of using it to point to His Son!

Ok! So now, I’ve really gotta find a tree!

Derek and I head off in the car on a hundred errands and to a completely different store and long story short, I get the last tree in the store, the last box of decorations and the last packet of Christmas tree lights. I get the feeling God is really in this little adventure with me and He’s as excited as I am.

So up goes the tree.

Now, back to the three gifts to go under the tree. I go to one of those large cheap junky kind of shops that sells everything but the kitchen sink. And I’d forgotten at this point about the three gifts and was looking for other things. Then He leads me down an aisle that sells craft products. I’m not crafty so I wouldn’t normally go there. But there’s a shelf with pretty boxes on it. Just the right size. And three different ones. There’s some cardboard tags, some wooden tags, some sparkly stickers, some string, some teeny tiny bottles – there’s a whole bunch of stuff and my imagination is going wild.

I’d pondered how to represent the gold, frankincense and myrrh but the Lord led me and pointed me to things I could use and how to use it. He gave me creative ideas and ability. He is such a fun creative God and friend.

Today is Christmas Eve here in Australia and the little family will arrive for dinner early this evening. When all the presents are opened from under the tree there’ll be three unnamed present boxes left there unclaimed. I have no doubt this little guy will enquire as to who they might be for. And then I can open the boxes with Him and share the true story of when the Magi presented the King Jesus with these three gifts, just as we this Christmas, lay them at His feet in the form of Jesus Christ the Tree of Life.

Derek and I know in our hearts that Christmas was originally a pagan holiday that Christians have lovingly taken to turn it to Jesus. We know there’s no word in scripture about celebrating Jesus’ birth every year. We know that December 25th is not even the same date that Jesus was born. We know that every day is about Jesus for those who love Him. We know He’s no longer a baby in a manger but He is a risen Lord, a Life giving Spirit indwelling us and that He is King of Kings and Lord of lords. We also now know, if we didn’t before, that God can use anything, any how, anywhere, for His own glory, His own story, to reach others right where they’re at. Even a four year old boy. Our grandson.

I do hope and pray you can experience a freshness in your outlook of Christmas this year, in your outlook on the Lord Jesus Christ in new and marvellous ways as you celebrate Christmas, or don’t celebrate it, as you gather with family or don’t, as you give and receive presents or you don’t, as you gather with other believers or you don’t, as you put up a Christmas tree or you don’t. Whatever the Lord by His Spirit leads you into, I exhort you to follow. To trust Him. To enjoy Him. And be prepared for Him to blow it all wide open again. I think He loves to surprise us. I mean, look what He’s done.

Dare I say it….Merry Christmas holy ones.