Don't Let It Be 'Just Another Christmas'

In this Christmas UPGRADE, Dawn Wilson asks us to pause to be sure we're thinking straight.

Another Christmas. Another opportunity to remember the birth of Christ and why He came.

We don't want it to be "just another Christmas."

And we don't want to jumble it up in our minds with other beautiful-but-lesser things.

Some time ago, Stephen Colbert joked about the mish-mash of Christmas hoopla in his wacky, "Just Another Christmas Song." Although he wrote it to make money and "help the Colbert Children eat," for me, the song also describes the confusion surrounding the holiday. As Colbert sang, "The manger's on fire, the holly's aglow; Hear the baby Jesus cryin' 'Ho, Ho, Ho'."

No, no, NO!

Christmas is a sweet time of blessing with families. Christmas is joy and feasting and all the holiday trimmings. But Christmas—at least as it's been celebrated for many years by Christians in the United States—is supposed to center on Christ.

Let's not confuse Santa with the One who created and sustains all things and holds them together! (Hebrews 1:3a; Colossians 1:16-17).

Jesus came, doing the will of His Father (John 6:38), which included many things:

• He came to redeem us from sin and back to Himself (Titus 2:14; John 3:16-17).
• He was born to be a ransom for us (Matthew 20:28).
• He came because we were hopeless sinners and desperately needed a Savior (1 Timothy 1:15; Luke 19:10; Mark 2:17).
• He came to be light in the world and lead us out of darkness (John 12:46).
• He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).

There are many other reasons why Jesus came, and as we think about the love and grace of God toward us, we can celebrate His coming with fresh enthusiasm each year!

Let's not let the beauty and truth of Christmas get tossed away and forgotten like torn and discarded wrapping paper. 

In the joy of the celebrating with loved ones, let's take plenty of pauses in our busy holiday to thank God for the Amazing Grace of Christmas!

How will you insure that this isn't "just another Christmas" this year? Maybe you would like to join me in singing this Hillsong version of "O Come Let Us Adore Him."

Yes, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning.

Jesus, to Thee be all Glory giv'n.

Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing. ...

O come, let us adore Him—Christ, the Lord. 

 Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the Director of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn is the co-author of LOL with God and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons,