I Bring You Tidings of Great Joy

Joyful holiday celebrations often don’t turn out the way we expect. We don’t walk around saying, “I bring you tidings of great joy.” In fact, if you did people might think you were a bit strange! However, we really should project joy during this holiday season.

With our already busy, daily schedules we often become overwhelmed, we become upset easily and frustrated when our plans don’t seem to go well. Most of our holiday schedules look like the following:

Baking
Decorating
Shopping
Wrapping presents
Visiting family and friends

Where does the “real” reason for the season come in? It appears nowhere in the list above. However, our focus should be on Christ and His sacrifice, that of coming as a newborn child to set us free from sin. Once a year, we commemorate the birth of Christ and do all the things except put Him first! Of course, as Christians we know the reason we celebrate Christmas – but what are we prepared to do about it?

Let’s look at the list above and make it Christ focused.

Baking:

Baking angel cookies – or other shapes that commemorate the Christmas season
Giving gifts of baked goods to those in need
Giving gifts of baked good to the elderly in your church or neighborhood
Inviting friends to do a cookie exchange and celebrating Christ with those who many not believe

Decorating:

Setting up the Nativity Set first and placing it as a focal point in your home
Place an angel on your tree. Discuss the significance with your children – the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, Mary (Luke 1:28) and Joseph.
Place a star on your tree. Discuss the significance of the star – the star of Bethlehem
Helping the elderly or handicapped with their decorations
Making homemade decorations for family and friends.

Shopping:

Purchasing gifts for those less fortunate
Donating to the poor
Shopping for the elderly
Taking someone shopping who can’t go by themselves

Wrapping presents

Use paper that has a Christ-focus
Make your own Christmas paper with plain paper and stamps
Wrapping presents with your family and play Christmas music in the background

Visiting family and friends

Go caroling in your neighborhood and spread the Gospel to others
Visit those you don’t often see
Take a neighbor or the elderly to visit with you

No matter what you do remember that our Lord and Savior came to set YOU free. Let’s not let the burdens of this life, bog us down and get in the way. I for one will try, with His grace to keep my eyes focused on Christ. Baking, shopping or wrapping presents are secondary, and maybe this is the year that you decide you are not baking one cookie! Take the time to pray and ask the Lord what He would have you do – and pray especially for joy! Joy is a gift He gives freely. And, maybe…just maybe, you will truly feel the words, “I bring you tidings of GREAT JOY,” this Christmas, and always!

Visit a post I’ve written with a great printable here: