Christmas Turnaround

Over-spending
Over-eating
Over-scheduling
Over-stimulated
Sometimes the excess of Christmas makes us wish for the simplicity of the original. I happen to think maybe that's a good thing. Not the simplicity - the excess that makes us long for the simple. We long for a turn-around. And the original Christmas WAS a turnaround.

For over 400 years there had been silence from God - no dreams, no visions, no prophetic utterances. And silence was going to give way to a sonic boom:

As God became man
As a virgin became pregnant
As a political decree turned into a divine proclamation
As the darkness became light
As shepherds became leading men
As angels became heralds; and
As a single star became a guiding light.

A REVERSAL - divinely orchestrated; and deliberate.

Christmas originally was INTENTIONAL. The original marketing strategy was one of mystery and revelation - NOT hype and fanfare. Shrouded in prophecy and overshadowed by expectation - NOT advertisement and commercialism.

Earth was on a collision course with Divinity and an invasion was staged. God Himself came to earth and He was on a rescue mission. The lost needing saving. The creation needed a Creator who could redeem what was ruined. And a reversal was staged:

A Creator became a human being
A Redeemer became a baby
and the stage was set:

"And it came to pass that a decree went out from Cesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed...."

So familiar and yet ....so under-thought! It was a plan beyond anything we could conceive. How did it begin:

With a decree that a census should be taken for the sake of taxes - how very mundane and political!

With a virgin becoming impregnated - how very unlikely!

With a baby being born in a world that had no room for him - how very sad!

With an announcement that a redeemer and king had entered the world being given to the lowest on the economic and social ladder - how very unorthodox!

A REVERSAL - divinely orchestrated; and deliberate.

He came in obscurity - under the cover of 400 years of silence and in the womb of a peasant girl - He will return on a cloud with trumpets blaring.

He came to rescue a world lost in sin - He will return to rapture a people saved.

He came in darkenss - He will return in blazing light.

He came and only a few knew - He will return and all will know.

He came and the world killed Him - He will return and every knee will bow.

He came to save us - He will return to take us.

He came because we were lost - He will return because we are found.

He came a s a baby - He will return as a King.

It is the reversal the world hinged on. But He didn't just reverse Himself. We - because of His coming, because of Christmas - have been reversed:

We were dead - now we live.

We were in darkness - now we are in the light.

We were sinners - now we are His righteousness.

We were lost - now we are found.

We were without hope - now we have hope.

We were unable to see or hear - now we see and hear with spirit eyes and ears.

We were paupers - now we are princesses.

We were beggars - now we can boldly go.

We were timid - now we are powerful.

We were the least - now we are the first.

We were the alienated - now we are inheritors of an unshakable kingdom.

We were separated - now nothing can separate us.

We were nameless - now our names are engraved on His hands.

We were despised - now we are infinitely loved.

A REVERSAL - that is the story of Christmas. Where an invasion took place, a kingdom was reclaimed and a reversal of fortune began.

How fitting then that we should go outside our doors and see a different reversal - commercialism, greed, cynicism, frenzy for the beauty, simplicity and purity of the real Christmas. It doesn't need to make you bitter, angry, cynical or irritated. It is fitting. It is right. It is truth. It is a reminder of the first Christmas - the real meaning of Christmas - when one day - the final reversal will take place and Baby Jesus will give way to King Jesus, the redeemed of the Lord will rule and reign and the stable gives way to a New Jerusalem.

So as you shop, cook, schedule and eat - smile softly to yourself. A reversal is coming!