Bible Reading: Ephesians 3:14-17
“May we not ‘spend’ Christmas or ‘observe’ Christmas, but rather ‘keep’ it.” – Peter Marshall
What an interesting quote! What does it mean, as Peter Marshall says, to “keep” Christmas? What is the difference between keeping” Christmas and spending Christmas or observing Christmas?
To “spend” Christmas could mean to use Christmas for our own purposes, to fulfill our own desires, to complete our own agenda, to get what we want. To “spend” Christmas could also mean to use Christmas until there is nothing of value remaining. If we spend Christmas, we come away empty. We have nothing.
To “observe” Christmas could mean to simply sit and watch Christmas go by without interacting with it and without receiving anything of value from it. To “observe” Christmas could also mean to treat it as an empty ritual that must be done but that has no real, deep, or lasting value. Both of these definitions turn Christmas into an empty, hollow exercise.
However, to “keep” Christmas means to hold on to Christmas, seize all of the truths, joys, and hopes of Christmas, gather them to us, and store them, honoring them in our hearts and minds all year around. To “keep” Christmas means to honor and guard these truths, joys, and hopes so that no harm comes to them and so they can be shared with others so that they, too, will be able to “keep” Christmas.
Finally, to “keep” Christmas means holding Jesus, his birth, his life, his death, and His resurrection close to our hearts and minds so we never forget what Christmas is really about.
As you prepare to keep Christmas this year, I pray Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:16-17a for you – “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Christmas, the truths about Jesus, and the hope and peace it gives. Help me to keep Christmas this year and for my whole life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.