The Essence Of Christmas
Dr. Thamsing Lamkang *
Christmas Eve at MBC Church, and Evagelical Convention Church, Mantripukhri on 25 December 2013 :: Pix - Daniel Chabungbam / Premanda Yumnam
Signs of Christmas are all around us. Santa, silver bells, candle lights, and carols.
But the only sign that counts was given to the shepherds in the Judean Hills-Cloth and a Manger. The Shepherds, we see, lived in a rough world with daily hard work and a struggle for survival. There was very little tinsel and glitters in their lives! Yet God came to them with His realistic sign, “You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger” (LK.2:12).
Swaddling cloth-a square of cloth with a long bondage like strip, was wound round about Him. Manger-smelly feed trough for animals. What a sign! The Messiah was born in a down-to-earth place of humble origin, very much in the real world.
This is the vivid descriptive background of Christmas.
A baby very much like us in flesh and blood, though the son of God by status, was born for saving mankind from the clutch of dead, which was brought about by sin.
And this boy/baby will be called the Prince of Peace, Counselor and the mighty God. How awesome and farsighted God was in His vision and plan of redemption, mingled with love of the first degree and compassion for mankind that, He had to sent His only one son to the earth. Just pause and think that the baby was to be born from the virgin womb of Mary.
Let’s reminisce for a moment and visualize, that we are in Nazareth of Galilee, and travelling with a pregnant wife, say for instance, 80 miles or beyond to Bethlehem.
That journey probably took Joseph and Mary about a week as donkey was the only means of transport those days. Today, we can sigh with relief when we think what a contrast with the present high-tech situation when things we want or the person we want to talk to, just happen in jiffy!
Now coming back to the story. All Joseph could find was a stall in a stable, and that’s where Mary delivered her first born son” (Lk. 2:7).
As you take a Christmas journey this month, reflect on the journey Jesus made for us. He came from Heaven to Earth to die for us, making salvation available through His death on the cross and His glorious resurrection.
Let’s praise God for that First-Christmas journey.
“When God stepped out of Heaven above
And came down to the Earth
He clothed Himself in human flesh
A child of lowly birth”.
So friends, what’s next? How about the preparation for the birth of Jesus? It’s not glitters and lights but the purification/cleansing of our hearts. So the countdown starts …
May the spirit of Christmas empowers all the readers and become peace-maker!
* Bienhome Muivah wrote this article for Hueiyen Lanpao
The writer is a Church Ministry Promoter at MBC Centre Church, Imphal
This article was posted on December 14, 2014.
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