Recounting Christmas

Last year we ran a week-long series on the devotional blog I help to write. We called it Recounting Christmas. We did it so we could keep celebrating Christmas even after the gifts were all opened and the paper all thrown away. I thought it would be fun to post it over here this year. You know, because who doesn’t like to keep unwrapping Christmas gifts even after Christmas is done?

This one was based on Isaiah 61.

He arrived naked, completely bare but bearing such weight as we have never known. And all mankind would ever need. This we celebrate each December 25. God wearing flesh, becoming man.

Heaven exploded in praise the minute He arrived in that dirty forgotten stable meant for animals and hay. The long-awaited, forever-ago promised answer to the problem of sin and death and dirty, grimy souls trenched in the mire of guilt and shame had finally come! The angel-choirs burst out in joy, unable to hold back their excitement of the moment. The One Creation had longed for since the fruit of Eden’s only restriction.

Not just Christmas morning, but Christmas moment.

Most of mankind would not know the many gifts He brought until long after the First Noel. Far past the magi’s visit. The gift of His coming was certainly enough, but He brought more than just His Presence. He brought the very revelation of God Himself. Because of Christmas morning and baby Jesus, man can know God and see Him for Who He is. Because of Christmas moment, we have access to Who God is.

Oh, the gifts He presented Christmas moment!

He brought light and life and truth and hope. He brought freedom for captives and comfort and beauty and gladness. He brought restoration for the broken-down. New life for the living dead. Jesus brought all the riches of life itself. And He gave us a way to inherit them.

And what we got for Christmas was Christmas itself. God and each of His promises wrapped up in a baby man.

This week we will look back on all that Jesus gave us in Christmas. We’ll wade through some amazing promises Jesus fulfilled in His first advent called Christmas. Recount all He’s let us unwrap over the past year. A bit more personal as we look back on the year and celebrate the gifts that are ours to keep.

Spiritually speaking, what has He given you this year? What has He let you unwrap? I always love opening a gift or two the week after Christmas. So let’s do it here.

Here’s how you can join in:

• Leave a comment and tell us what God has given you this year. We’ll celebrate it together.

• Email me and tell me about it. So I can be happy with you. I mean, who doesn’t love it when someone else helps celebrate a gift?

• Go to my page on facebook and tell the community there all about it.

• Tweet about it and use the hashtag #RecountingChristmas.

Can’t wait to continue the celebration with you!