In the John Lennon song “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” he wrote:
“So, this is Christmas And what have you done? Another year over And a new one just begun.”
So this is Christmas, the celebration of the birth of our Messiah…the Divine in human flesh. Come to save His people from their sins so as to unite them to Himself, the God-Head and to one another for all eternity.
Christmas, like the Lord’s Supper, is not only a time of looking back to what Christ has done, equally important, it is a time of looking forward to what He is going to do in the future. As we look back to the first Advent, we should be looking forward to the second Advent. Come Lord Jesus, come!
So looking back over the past year, what have you done? Life is a vapor and God has prepared beforehand for us to walk in good works (Ephesians 2:10)…have you been walking in them? I encourage you to meditate upon what you have done:
- Have you read some good God-honoring books this past year? I sure hope so. If not, perhaps commit to reading at least one good God-honoring book per month this coming year. It really doesn’t take that much time.
- Have you demonstrated hospitality to anyone?
- Have you ministered to others in some way (physically, financially, prayerfully, etc.)?
- Have you drawn closer to God this year through His Word, through prayer, through worship or through others?
- For the husbands and fathers, how have you shepherded (pastored) your family…both wife and children? How have you cherished your wife?
- For the wives, how have you been your husband’s help-meet and demonstrated biblical, loving, joyful submission to him and to Him?
- For the children, how have you obeyed and honored your parents?
- For the singles, how have you ministered to your peers, to families, to your local body?
The War Is NOT Over
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. -Ephesians 6:12
Unlike in John Lennon’s song that proclaimed “war is over” our war is not. We still have a mandate to spread the gospel, to live the gospel, to take care of the widows, orphans and the poor and to love one another.
Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in His name all oppression shall cease.
-O Holy Night
Look, “the night is almost gone (well spent), and the day is near” (Romans 13:12), so we have much to do, very much to do. We don’t have time for frivolous pursuits, we need to turn our eyes away from worthless things (Psalm 119:37) and we need to stop entangling ourselves in the affairs of this life, so that we may please the One who enlisted us to serve Him (2 Timothy 2:4).
As you look back on what you have done, DO NOT beat yourself up about what you haven’t done. Simply seek forgiveness and resolve that with God’s help, to do more and walk more in those good works next year. He is faithful to direct your steps (Proverbs 16:9)!
Have a blessed celebration and reflection upon the birth of our Savior.
In Christ,
Chris
Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. -Romans 13:11-14