I love going to the mailbox this time of year. Some sort of package is usually waiting, and it’s exciting to see what’s inside. The minor fact that I already know since I’m the one who ordered it doesn’t dim my delight because it’s fun to see what others are getting and to imagine the smiles on their faces Christmas morning.
I always check to make sure the right thing showed up, but sometimes to find the product in the packing, I have to dig through a whole lot of stuffing. The abundance of filling isn’t frustrating because it ensures safe delivery, but I am always relieved to discover that what was brought was what I bought.
But what if it wasn’t? What if inside a box bursting with bubble wrap there was nothing at all or, at best, a worthless trinket? At the risk of sounding punny, it would leave me feeling empty. And so does Christmas unless all of the tinsel and trimmings, the jolly and jingle, and the giving and getting is packaged around Jesus. To borrow a phrase from last Sunday’s Advent reading, Jesus is the “essential content” of Christmas. Without Him, the day doesn’t exist and the season doesn’t make sense. But Jesus has come, and even those who try to pretend that His arrival is irrelevant can’t mute the majesty of the Incarnate God. Every light hanging on an eave shines like the star that showed wise men the way—its glowing beam a dim depiction of the bright Light of the World. Trees drooping with decorations give notice to the vibrancy of life sacrificed for the good of others. The greeting of “Happy Holidays” imprinted on cards and banners comes straight from “Happy Holy-days,” and only the One who wrapped Himself in skin is holy. And each present unselfishly passed from one hand to another reflects the heart of a God who loved so much He gave.
Christmas is an amazing gift. Have fun making the box beautiful and the wrapping wonderful, but most of all, adore and enjoy the Essential Content.
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