Twelve Days of Christmas

And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 
Luke 2:17-19

Merry Christmas!  It’s still Christmas!  Whether you receive a partridge in a pear tree or not, there are twelve days in the season of Christmas before we observe the visit of the Magi on January 6.  That’s twelve days to continue to celebrate our Lord’s birth.  While the world seeks to put the Christmas items on clearance and push the Valentine’s Day gear already on December 26, we, Christians can continue to belt out our Christmas carols and boldly display our exterior illumination.  But continuing the celebration of our Savior’s birth is about more than just twelve additional days of cookies and lights.  It is about marveling at the wonder of God dwelling in the flesh.  It is about treasuring the Word and promises of God and pondering them in our own hearts.  It is about a life shaped and formed by Christ, where He is the center of our days and our lives.

Sadly, this type of devotion should not be limited to twelve days either.  The birth of Christ forever changes the lives of Joseph and Mary, Simeon and Anna, shepherds and all who have been told about the birth of the Christchild.  The gathering of families around the Word of God in sanctuaries and at kitchen tables should not be confined to a couple of special occasions, but, by God’s grace, can become the center of our lives.

May the Good News of our Savior’s birth continue to bring joy and peace to your home as you ponder the mystery of God dwelling upon the earth in human form to offer Himself on the cross in our place.  May this message remain in your homes, in your ears and hearts, and on your lips as we celebrate Christ throughout all the seasons of the year and life.

Prayer - O God, our Maker and Redeemer, You wonderfully created us and in the incarnation of Your Son yet more wondrously restored our human nature.  Grant that we may ever be alive in Him who made Himself to be like us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. 

Fraternally in Christ,
President Lee Hagan