Christmas All Year

This time of year is a time when our focus shifts to the love and grace of our heavenly Father, that He would send His Son to die for us. We decorate our homes, spend lots of money on gifts, bake goodies, and celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus with loved ones. But what happens the other eleven months of the year?

My husband’s prayer for me recently illustrates my point perfectly. Before I left for a new job, he prayed that God would hedge me in all around. That He would support me from behind like family, and stand by my side like a friend. I love this analogy. Even during pandemics, family and friends are always there for us. They support us, they listen to us, they help us, and they encourage us. So does God. Psalm 139:5 says God has hedged us, “behind and before,” and has laid His hand upon us. Wow. We are completely surrounded by His love. He is our safety. Later, Jesus told His disciples in Matthew He would be with them always. His death allowed us to have the privilege of also having Him with us always—three hundred and sixty-five days a year.

What does this mean for us? It means that while we celebrate His birth at Christmastime, let’s not forget to celebrate our life in Him every day. He is with us in the good and the bad, the illnesses and the good health, the winter and the summer. Take time to thank God every day for the best gift He could ever give us. Then, remember why He came and let Him be a big part of your life—all year.

Photo by Jerry Wang