Today is Christmas Day – 25 December. Each year is filled with numerous holidays and other commemorative days, but none has as huge a following as Christmas. Enormous value is placed on Christmas, as millions (billions maybe) celebrate in this season with lots of merriment.
For Christians, it’s easily the most important celebration, as the essence of Christianity is anchored on the birth of Jesus Christ. The exact day he was born is not as important as the fact that he was born. For the business-minded clique, the Christmas season offers a huge commercial mine—sales skyrocket, as more people are willing to spend money on various goods and services. It’s Christmas, and it’s for all!
This morning, I woke up singing a song I likely have not sang in years.
“Never the same again,
I won’t be the same again,
From the moment, I met Jesus,
New life to me He gave,
I won’t be the same again”
The song is not classified as a “Christmas song”. That category is usually reserved for “Jingle Bells” and its siblings. However, by the powers conferred on me as a not-yet-recognised earthling, I hereby declare the investiture of the song as a member of the “Order of Christmas Songs”.
The lyrics capture the essence of Christmas. The birth led to the death, which “broke down the dividing wall” and granted man direct access to God. That changed everything. The status quo had ended, man’s relationship with God could now exist on a father-child plan; no longer ambushed by fear.
When we enter into a relationship with Christ (“giving your life to Christ”), a paradigm change occurs, followed by continuous transformation. We are transferred from darkness to light. We become the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, no longer called sinners because the hold of sin over us is broken and we now live new lives by God’s power. We are never the same persons we were before.
As we continually walk with God, we become more like him. Our minds are continually renewed. Good replaces evil. We have the mind of Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, and so we think like God. The erstwhile award-winning liar tells less and less lies, until truthfulness becomes his nature. The selfish egocentric person now has God’s love purging his character, and begins gradually to relate with people as people—with love. We are never the same again.
With Christ, every day we are an improved version of the previous day’s person. We look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, our resource person, who daily loads us with benefits. Communing with him through the Word and prayer, and doing what he says ensures that we are never the same. We are change agents, bringing solutions to problems around us. We are Christians.
As you celebrate in this season, and beyond, may the love of Christ fill your heart, and through you, extend to your loved ones, family, friends, foes and the strangers you meet. If you do not “know” Christ, now is a good time to begin a fruitful walk with him.
Merry Christmas!
Jilomes 