A Christmas That Isn't Magical?

Last week we celebrated our son's 4th birthday at a local inflatable play land. One inflatable maze was particularly distressing to my little Luke because at the second section it had a "squeeze" tube where the child would squeeze through the inflated nylon fabric. This moment of "gentle" pressure passing through the squeeze was terrifying to Luke.  He went into an almost fit of panic at the thought of pushing through it.  I think that's how a lot of us feel today, "squeezed" by so many things in life, pressed to the point of panic. For some it's the feeling of loss at this holiday season, it's the stress of fighting crowds and materialism at the mall, it's the weight of responsibilities that seem too great, it's the list that is a mile long that you can't seem to accomplish, it's the feeling of inadequacy, or it's the grieving and pain of the terrible loss of children. 

I've heard so many say that these pressures of life have robbed them of the magic of Christmas. It is that particular phrase, "the magic of Christmas", that keeps ringing in my head. It was that particular phrase that drove me to Luke chapter two.  This passage tells of a night when a young, unwed girl gave birth in a barn. Was her Christmas magical? I would say no. I would guess, having given birth twice and in a hospital, that Mary and Joseph's Christmas was filled with fear, pain and panic. It was not magical, BUT it was a miracle.

This account in Luke goes on to tell of a group of shepherds that were "terrified" at what they saw in the sky.  This word "terrified" can also be used as "panic". Would you call a group of men being panicked magical? The shepherds' Christmas wasn't magical, BUT it was a miracle.

What was the message of this MIRACLE Christmas? "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy". The magic of Christmas is irrelevant and unnecessary. The miracle of Christmas, however, is important. It is a gift of peace, good news and JOY!  The miracle of Christmas is Jesus.  Just saying His name a lone brings a refreshment to the soul. My 4 year old son finally made it through the "squeeze" and on the other side he had such fun.  I don't know what your particular "squeeze" is this holiday season. I don't know what has stolen the magic out of your Christmas.  But I do know that you don't need magic when you have a MIRACLE.  And you can find JOY in Jesus regardless of the "squeeze"!