Noticing God Practice #10
Entertainment: Seeing Jesus at Christmas
In American culture Christmas has evolved into an all-consuming ‘event’ which begins to manifest itself as early as the day after Halloween. Shopping malls are resplendent with decorations, ‘Santa’ and his helpers set up North Pole shops to receive children’s wish lists and wrangle them into posed photos and television commercials bombard the airwaves with insistent messages to shop and shop some more. Jesus, the proclaimed ‘reason for the season,’ is hardly noticed or appreciated. It takes intentional effort to keep Jesus as the focal point of Christmas and its celebration. Make this Christmas one in which you worship God-in-the- flesh, Jesus, the Savior.
Bible Readings
*John 1:14
*Matt. 1:23
Luke 2
Isaiah 9:6
How we notice God
-We contemplate the wonder of a God who loves us enough to live among us in human form
-We focus on the simplicity of the Christmas narrative which has spoken to every culture in every century
-We minimize the commercialism of Christmas and direct our attention to Jesus
-We seek moments of calm reflection and resist the busy rush of the holiday season
-We read the birth narratives of Jesus in the Gospels and marvel at the miracle
Projects for the Month
Choose any number of the following projects to help you focus throughout the month.
1) Sit on a bench in a busy shopping mall during the Christmas season. Look at the faces of every shopper; note how every person has a unique look, shape, walk and manner of dress. Thank God for a love so big and all-encompassing that He sent Jesus to dwell among every single one of them.
2) Pay attention to the number of nativity scenes, crosses and/or other Christian symbols you see displayed on homes, businesses, malls or streets as Christmas decorations in December. Compare these to the number of ‘secular’ decorations. Reflect on the reasons behind the contrast you observe.
3) Create home-made Christmas cards depicting the birth of Jesus OR select cards with a distinct message about Jesus OR add a stamp/sticker calling attention to Jesus’ birth to every envelope you send.
4) Put a nativity scene on display in your home and read Scriptures focused on the Christmas story each day as you view the scene OR use an Advent calendar which offers a Scripture with each day’s opened window
5) Drive home, to work and on errands via different routes than you would normally take. As you pass various homes, intersections, stores or businesses, repeat the words to John 1:14 aloud. Note that Jesus came to dwell among us in every corner of our lives-in every town, in every culture and to every ‘nation’ (ethnic group). Try to take in the enormity of what “God is with us” really means.
Journaling
Throughout the month, make note of the times you focus on the meaning of Christmas, particularly the wonder of Jesus’ birth. Take an honest inventory of your own attitudes, motives, and focus. Let your journal reveal whether or not you were able to find a balance point between spiritual emphasis upon Jesus and His love for us and the flurry of holiday activities and expectations. Remember that it is not ‘wrong’ to enjoy time with family or revisit holiday traditions; the challenge is to keep Jesus at the center of all you think about and do throughout the Christmas season.