Christmas Is Just the Beginning

 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2 NIV

Did you get what you really wanted for Christmas? Hopefully, you did better than Diane, who excitedly ripped open the box from her sister. Inside, she found a colorful hat, soft and fuzzy; she loved it. However, after several attempts to get the right angle, it just didn’t look right. So, she called her sister. “I got the hat you sent me,” Diane said, “but it doesn’t fit.” Her sister replied, “A hat?” “I sent you a toilet seat cover!” (Life in these United States, Reader’s Digest)

Yes, Christmas is over, or at least that’s how we see it. The gifts have been unwrapped, the parties are finished, and we attended the special services at church. Now, our thoughts turn to the coming year. In a few days, most people will start packing away decorations and deep cleaning the house. The lines at Walmart, Target, and UPS will be long and slow as people return the wrong-size shirts, duplicate gifts, or even toilet seat covers.

However, in reality, Christmas is just the beginning. Both Christmas and Easter serve as essential dates on the calendar that remind us of the impact God has had, had, or will have on the world. Jesus never intended to be confined to two days on a human calendar but to be alive and transformative every day of our lives. Howard Thurman expressed this beautifully in his poem “The Mood of Christmas.”

“When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the Shepherds are back with their flock,

                  The work of Christmas begins:

                  To find the lost,

                  To heal the broken,

                  To feed the hungry,

                  To release the prisoner,

                  To rebuild the nations,

                  To bring peace among people

                  To make music in the heart.”                (The Mood of Christmas by Howard Thurman)

Matthew added a twist to Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth. He introduced us to a small group of scholars from the East, who set out on a mission to find the true king who was meant to change the world. These “foreigners,” Gentiles, intellectuals, and advisors to kings—yet outside the Jewish faith—searched for the real meaning of Christmas. Others might have looked up at the night sky and seen the star, but did nothing to seek the truth.

Religious leaders knew the location from years of careful study of Scripture. When asked about where the Messiah was to be born, they knew precisely by quoting the prophets. They wanted a Messiah, on their own terms. What a difference if they had decided to join this band of seekers and follow the star. No doubt they gave good directions; unfortunately, they didn’t follow their own instructions to Bethlehem to find the Messiah.

This band of seekers wanted more than directions and more knowledge concerning the birthplace of the king of the Jews. They hadn’t traveled for weeks simply to talk with an earthly political leader; they sought the real king. This band of wise men didn’t need more information; their journey towards Christmas wouldn’t be complete until they saw the King of kings.

“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:9-11 NIV

These outsiders, seekers, scholars are a great example of those who understood the real meaning of Christmas. They willingly gave up comfort, prestige, and wealth to seek out the “one who has been born king of the Jews, the Messiah, the One who could bring real meaning to life.

“Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point—a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest—our best for His glory.” (Oswald Chambers)

What will you do with Christmas as we celebrate the arrival of 2026? Was it just another day that gets crossed off the calendar until next year? We can make our plans for 2026, and we should, but remember that they are subject to change often due to circumstances beyond our control. The one thing that remains certain is that God will be with us throughout 2026. “For to us a child is born…And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) There will be times in the coming year when these names and titles of Jesus will be our place of refuge and strength to face our challenges.

I pray that the hope, joy, and promise of Christmas continue throughout this year. Thank you for subscribing to and reading Prayer Safari each week.  I hope it offers a quick word of encouragement as we journey together on Safari. My desire is to honor God with each post.

Happy New Year!

God is great!

 

Due to technical problems post failed to send Monday