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“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”  Luke 2: 11-12

The holiday season craziness is upon us once again. (According to places like Walmart and Big Lots, it started in September when the first of the Christmas décor was loaded onto the shelves.) But, I’m sure you can agree, the 2021 madness is bit more mad than ever (at least in my lifetime). With the perfect storm of (a) lack of people working, (b) product and food unavailability caused by senseless government regulations, (c) inflation’s ever-rising prices, (d) continued fearmongering of the corporate media, and (e) threats and unreasonable mandates toward the citizens dictated by our own “leaders”—well, Christmas preparations have not been very “merry” at all. For instance, my husband took some items to the post office for me yesterday afternoon. One person was working, and the line wrapped out the door. The passport office was closed indefinitely because there is no one to work there…needless to say, the Christmas spirit was not alive and well among those sending gifts and greetings to loved ones around the country or those planning to travel.

If you step back from everything and look around at our nation and world with a totally objective perspective, you would think this was all a really bad, dystopian movie. And as Christmas nears, with mounting frustrations, divisiveness, and anger swirling around us, you may just want to hide yourself away at home and simply skip Christmas this year.

So, friend, let’s stop looking around—and let’s look up! Let’s stop our own madness by evoking the answer to the exasperated shout of Charlie Brown, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” In fact, as believers, we do know! But maybe that knowledge is getting lost in the swirling craziness of current reality.

It’s time to recall the gospel according to Linus (well, it’s actually Luke, but go with me here). We have been given “good tidings of great joy”! Linus reminded his friends (and us) that a Savior has come to bring peace—peace with God and the peace of God as we live in this world. Jesus came to live the perfect, righteous life we could not live and die the death we deserve, paying the penalty for our sin so we could be redeemed and reconciled to God.

He is the perfect Christmas Gift. No need for the supply chain—His love is available for the asking. No worries about high costs—He paid it all and His grace is free. No more fear or anxiety—we have confident hope in our eternal home. He is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). If you are tangled up in the mire, there is a gift you can get today that can put your feet on solid, sane, and sound ground. If you’ve accepted this gift already, stay focused on Him…if you have not, won’t you embrace Jesus right now?

Check out Linus’ gospel message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eff0cqYefYY

“God, thank You for sending the gift of Your Son, Jesus to bring peace and hope and deliverance.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life