Christmas post!
I felt it necessary to post with my thoughts of Christmas and how they have developed, especially because this is the first time that Christmas has actually meant something to me—something that is more than presents.
Granted, I’ve always known that Christmas meant the birth of Jesus. But Jesus was just another person to me. Since I went to church growing up, I knew that He was sent to save us. But I never understood what that meant. Not until February 26, 2009. It was in October 2008 that I first felt Jesus tug at my heart. I had been extended an invitation to go to 180, Ohio University’s meeting of Campus Crusade for Christ. I went. And I went to every meeting after that. I knew that it would be a good thing if I did, even if it wasn’t a huge part of my life. But then in late January, I finally accepted an offer to go to Bible study (there had been several invitations, but I never went). It was then a few weeks later that I saw Lifehouse’s “Everything” skit at 180. That definitely got the brain wheels turning. I wondered about this stuff for a week, and had several deep conversations with one of my closest friends (one of the ones who had originally invited me to 180). It was at that fateful 180 meeting, when the praise band was singing “Mighty to Save,” that I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. It was these lines that did the trick:
“So take me as You find me, all of my fears and failures, fill my life again. I give my life to follow everything I believe in, now I surrender.”
At that, I sat down and started crying. I was crying because I suddenly felt a warmth and comfort that I had never experienced before. It was the best feeling in the world, and I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. This absolutely fantastic feeling lasted for more than two weeks, and ever since then, though I’ve definitely experienced some spiritual lows, I have been the happiest I’ve been my entire life, and through Him, I’ve established friendships with people that I know will last eternally.
And now I turn back to Christmas. To think of Christmas as when Jesus, my Savior, my Messiah, my Redeemer, was born, is just mind-boggling. That this little baby would make me the happiest I’ve ever been. That this little baby would make me turn my life around and follow Him. That this little baby is the reason that I have eternal life. It blows my mind!
I don’t even have words to describe it! The fact that He is born and will eventually save all of us from our sins and give us a reason to live and spread His word is enough to make me want to dance around and shout for joy!
This is the first time I’ve reflected on the meaning of Christmas for what it really is. My heart is light, my spirit is free. And I am happy. Happier than I’ve ever been.
“Celebrate and sing Hallelujah; raise the banner, dance and rejoice! Celebrate the birth of Messiah! He’s the King of Kings, the Lord of all!” ~Michael W. Smith, “Christmas Angels”
It’s all kinda cool, isn’t it? Merry Christmas!
