MEMORIES OF CHRISTMAS

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I just finished watching the Christmas episode of Turning Point, a Christian programme courtesy of CBN. One of the presenters was asked the most memorable Christmas gift she had ever received and she answered that she rather had wonderful memories, instead of gifts. According to her, those memories are the best gifts she has ever had.

 I also watched (not till the end) a movie yesterday titled How Mr. Grinch Stole Christmas.  Mr. Grinch, according to the story, lives somewhere aground and he only comes out yearly- at Christmas. He hates Christmas with a passion and whenever it is Christmas eve, he suddenly remembers an unpleasant event in the past and this brings out the worst in him. He would go about destroying things as well as stealing Christmas gifts belonging to other people…

You see, Mr. Grinch’s aim was to steal Christmas (joy and peace) from the wonderful people of Whosville (that’s where he grew). He felt they never loved him (he looked like a monster!), but the truth is there were some people who thought he was wonderful, despite his looks. But he had grown so bitter against them that even when they wanted to present him with an award, he spoilt the whole occasion.

Memories, yes, we all have them. Some are good, some are not; some are beautiful, while others are very ugly and dirty we would rather not  go near them in our minds.

 Surely you’ll agree with me that Christmas ought to evoke colorful and beautiful memories such as: visits to Santa Claus, Christmas trees, laughter, family reunion, friends reunion, colorful atmosphere, change in weather, and so forth.

But for some people, Christmas is a season that would rather not come in the year. Imagine someone who lost his wife and children on a Christmas morning in an auto crash, or someone who lost his business on a cold Christmas morning to fire or another who lost a dear friend while swimming, or (perhaps you can relate with this), just days to Christmas your fiancé suddenly calls to inform you that your engagement’s been cancelled.

 Believe me, to all the above people, subsequent Christmases would not be the same again either positively or negatively. Some have recovered from the initial shock and still face subsequent Christmases with hope, while some are yet to recover.  Just like Mr. Grinch, when it’s Christmas, this latter group suddenly remembers when that sad event(s) occurred and start organizing pity parties. To them the colorful and beautiful sites around town plus the joy in the air mean little or nothing.  They sometimes join in singing the Christmas carols, but within, they are completely detached from the essence of the season. They are hurting and unknown to them, they make others around them hurt. Like snails, they recoil into the shell of the past and wish that Christmas would suddenly come to an end or never come again. This to them is the best Christmas gift they could ever get.

How about you? Do you have any painful, ugly memories whenever it’s Christmas? Have you ever suffered any loss just hours, days, weeks or even months before Christmas? As an unmarried person, if last year you were in a steady relationship and somehow this Christmas you are suddenly dateless, how do you feel?  You mean you never thought, even if for just a sec, about those beautiful times you had with your ex last Christmas? When those memories came, how did you feel?

The truth is that Christmas symbolizes joy. Consider what scriptures say, that there was joy in heaven that night Jesus was born and the angel declared glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to all men( Luke 2:14). Wow, that’s a message of hope for someone! God deliberately planned this season for YOU in mind. HE knew you’d encounter such negative events in your life and he went ahead of you to plan the solution so that when you eventually encounter the situation you’d jump over it and laugh longest.

When Jesus came into this world, it was to bring hope and comfort to a rather hurting world. It was to set the captives (of painful pasts) free and heal the broken hearted, it was to bring sunshine back into your life, so why then would you settle for anything less than the best God planned for you? Have you forgotten that God’s plans and thoughts concerning you are GOOD ALWAYS?

After Mr. Grinch had destroyed all the Christmas decorations and gifts at whosville,(remember he wanted to steal their Christmas) I observed that the people were not happy at first, but they still continued with their joy and merry making. They still went ahead to celebrate the Christmas they had earlier planned. His negative manners just didn’t stop them!

This is the attitude I believe God expects us to portray at all times. We mustn’t allow any memories of our painful pasts around Christmas stop us from celebrating this beautiful season of the year with our loved ones. True, it may seem difficult to forgive or forget, but why not open your heart, reach for heaven and receive  first the gift( of love, new beginning, joy, peace) your heavenly father is giving you right now. You can’t give what you don’t have you know. Take a step forward and begin anew, fill your memory bank with new ones.

If you’d like to give your life to Christ, please say this prayer:

Lord Jesus, I come to you just as I am. I confess my sins and ask that you forgive me and wash me in your blood. Be my lord and savior and give me the grace to obey you always. Thank you for saving me.

It’s a new dawn for you!  Welcome to the beginning of new things!

MERRY CHRISTMAS