One of the things I enjoy about Christmas is tradition.
The church I attend has several traditions.
Some of these traditions go back many years.
For example, a traditional gift among people who share my
heritage is “The Christmas Sack”.
This is a simple brown paper bag containing an apple, an
orange and a few pieces of candy.
My parents always gave me this gift every Christmas when I
was a boy.
I am not certain how many generations back this tradition
goes.
My church continues this tradition as well.
Every year my church puts on a Christmas Program.
A few nights before the program, a few of us will meet at the
church and prepare many sacks.
When the Christmas Program ends, everyone in attendance gets
one and so the tradition continues.
Another tradition I enjoy takes place at our worship service
every Christmas Eve.
Prior to the start of the service we place a rocking chair in
our sanctuary.
At some point during the worship service our pastor will sit
in that chair.
The children in attendance will then come forward and sit on
the floor around the pastor.
He will then read to them about the very first Christmas from
the gospel of Luke.
Another tradition we have is quite new.
Empty boxes are provided to all members at the start of
Advent.
Members place a non-perishable food item in their box each
day during the season of Advent.
By the time Christmas arrives, all the boxes have been filled
with food.
The filled boxes are gathered, and the food is donated to the
local food bank to help the less fortunate.
These are but some of our traditions.
No doubt, you have traditions of your own.
Traditions play an important role in helping us observe
Christmas.
It is important that our hearts are in the right place as we
take part in them.
Simply going through the motions is not enough.
Everything we do should be rooted in faith, hope and love.
After all, it is God’s love for us that is at the very heart
of Christmas.
Christmas is not a celebration of how we reach up to God.
Christmas is a celebration of how God reached down to us.
It is a celebration of how God reached down to a disobedient
and fallen world that could not save itself.
It is a celebration of how God reaches down in the most
remarkable and unexpected of ways.
Luke 2:11 (NET) - Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is
Christ the Lord.
I wish you all a happy and blessed Christmas!
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on
Friday, December 22, 2017.
I’ll be back here on Friday, January
5, 2018
