A Covid Christmas…

2020 has admittedly been a difficult year across the globe. The attacks have felt like they have been coming at us across many fronts.

It is impossible to get through a 24 hour period without hearing the words: Covid, coronavirus, social/ physical distancing, masks, anti-masks … and the list goes on and on.

Politics has been heated and divided, not only in the USA but as a world power, has caused much strife, confusion & concern across the globe.

Friends, I’m not sure where you are and what policies have been implemented in the name of safely, but here in Canada, our Country feels likes it’s been divided into two camps. Those that believe the government is for us and taking care of us, and those that believe our freedoms are being stripped away and separation and isolation are becoming the new norm.

I’m not here to tell you which side of the gap I think you should be on, we each need to make those decisions for ourselves, as we alone are responsible to God for our choices we make in this life.

Here in Canada, particularly my province of Alberta, the government decided another lockdown was in order. This one over Christmas. No family gatherings allowed , even going to the point of encouraging neighbors to report those that would choose to gather.

This brought a whole new level of divisiveness… over Christmas?? How could this even be?? Admittedly I too, struggled with this decision. My hopes and dreams this year were to spend Christmas with my new granddaughter. I met her as a newborn just prior to Covid lockdowns and have not seen her in person since. This just felt cruel and unfair and I felt deep despair and grief at my loss.

Honestly, I allowed myself to wallow there for quite some time, brought to tears numerous times in my grief. Over Christmas how can this even be happening? Admittedly, I was becoming angry at the thought that the government would “take Christmas away from us”.

And it was here in my grief and anger that God opened my eyes to some truths I had never realized. In my minds eye, He showed me Churches over the the last 2000 years that held traditions equal to the Gospel message. He allowed me to see how quickly that action led them astray from the simple beautiful message of Christ coming to save us from our sins… Messiah arriving on earth.

Then He showed me what we, (including me) as a society has done with Christmas. We have allowed our “traditions” to stand equal with the actual meaning of Christmas. As I pondered that thought, my first instinct was to object…”Lord, we always kept you in Christmas”. Which we did, but the realization of the depth of my grief, showed me the truths that I had not recognized.

I was grieving what I could not have, even to the point of complaining that Christmas was being taken away from me. then God in His ever gentle way reminded me that NOTHING could actually take away Christmas. Man could prevent our traditions from happening as we liked…But does this take away Christmas?? Rules and regulations could alter our shopping habits… but does this take away Christmas??

The answer to that is a resounding No!

Let’s go back to the simple gospel message of Christmas. Jesus Christ was born as a baby, to live on this earth so He could conquer sin, bringing us into a right relationship with him, so that one day we would be clothed in His righteousness,and that we could spend eternity with him as His Children.

Christmas is a Birthday celebration of our Lord and Saviour… and nothing on earth can ever take that away from us.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for opening my eyes to truth. How easily we compromise the day of remembering your birth and reason for that birth… to one day die on a cross for each and every one of us. We know Lord, that family is important to you, so you understand how easily we fall into the trap of our traditions. Forgive me lord, for allowing those traditions to turn into an idol, causing me to put them equal to you. Wherever we are Lord on this Christmas Day, may we be filled with the Love of Christ as the gift of Christ. Thank you for slowing us down and removing the extra packaging so that we could be brought into that place of simple worship for the most important gift we could ever receive.

In Jesus precious name ♥️ Amen

Friends, if you were in anyway struggling like I was, I encourage you to lift your eyes to the heavens, remind yourself that God is still on His throne. What the enemy planned for evil God can use for good.

Merry Christmas…may the Christ of Christmas fill your hearts this season with Joy in what He has done for us .

Blessings , ♥️ Janet