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Here in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, we cannot expect the sensory pleasure of snow at Christmas. How unCanadian! There is something strangely dismal about rain on Christmas Day, even though we can look beyond the gloom and marvel at the fresh whiteness on the nearby mountains. In Canada, snow is synonymous with the Christmas season, yet here in southwestern B.C. we may have to be satisfied with cotton balls and plastic snow from a spray can.
The Hollywood television programmers, thankfully, put aside their affection for violence and sensuality during this time of the year. Instead, families are rediscovered, and plots seem to focus on nostalgia for the lost rural life, the American rear-view mirror dream, never to be achieved and gone forever. Paying for all this reminiscence are the advertisers, which dispense their own dreams of the "perfect gift" for that special person. How about a bandsaw for Dad? A 24-speed blender for Mom? A programmable CD player for Sis? A set of skis for Uncle Murray? They deserve it. Go ahead, the commercials bellow, surprise them; after all, it's Christmas!
The Christian heart struggles with these sensory assaults and, perhaps, gives in to the commercialism. After all, it's Christmas! No need to disappoint the kids. Mustn't look cheap. What better time to be generous, or at least look generous (with the help of VISA or Mastercard).
Trouble is, for Christians and non-Christians alike, all of these materialistic distractions obscure the simple message of the hope of Christmas. The tree, the gifts, the hospitality, the family times are very nice, but they all miss the main point.
Christmas is nothing if not a time of hope. As Christians, we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And that hope is found only in Jesus Christ. For those of us who remember times without Christ, we can recall very vividly the emptiness of a life without meaning, without confidence. And then Christ came into our lives!
God sent Christ for our redemption because He loves us. Jesus' birth indeed gives us hope. But it is important to reflect on the reality of our hope as Christians. It is not a vague kind of wishful thinking--such as "I sure hope I'll win the lottery"--but a firm foundation which delivers us from fear. We are confident in His mercy to guide us through every affliction, even the dread of death.
At Christmas, our hope in Jesus also includes an understanding of the uniqueness of His birth. Not only was He born of a virgin, but we know from Scripture that He is preexistent; that is, He did not become the Son of God; He always was, and is. He is fully God and fully man. This gives us a remarkable hope because, as a man, He understands us completely and knows our needs, even in our darkest moments; and, as the Son of God, He has the power to perform miracles in our lives, to change us and heal us.
How profound is our hope as Christians when considered at this time of the year. All about us, in the stores and supermarkets, people are "hoping" to receive this present or "hoping" to find that present for a friend or relative. But what a hollow hope! Almost as soon as the gift wrapping is torn off, the toy falls apart or the sweater unravels. And the music CD quickly loses popularity. God's hope, however, never fails. "For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide, even unto the end" (Psalm 48:14).
Let the Christmas season, above all else, be a time to rekindle our hope in Jesus Christ.
Simon Gibson is a member of Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C.
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