The Work of Christmas

Christmas – the actual day is past. Most of us have enjoyed our family gatherings and opened our gifts. My sister Anne told me today that all her decorations are put away as well. For her everything is back to normal. Not so at our house. We’ll have our tree up for at least two more weeks, maybe even three. It’s merry lights and statuesque beauty greet me every morning. I love it. I’m in no hurry to see it gone.

There is a song in our hymn book, titled “I Am the Light of the World” by Jim Strathdee. The first verse says,

“When the song of the angels is stilled,

when the star in the sky is gone,

when the kings and the shepherds have found their way home,

the work of Christmas is begun…

For us as Christians, Christmas is so much more than a family celebration that lasts at the most a few days. Christmas is a beginning. Christmas, like the new baby born in the stable, is filled with potential. Each year we travel to the manger. Each year we have the opportunity to begin again our attempt to live the “way” of Jesus.

This year with our response to the refugee’s as individuals, groups, and a nation, the work of Christmas has begun. These families that have come and are coming will need our help, will offer new experiences, new stories, new learnings all year long. This year we won’t put Christmas back in a box and get back to our familiar normal. For that normal is changing every day.

This year we will need to open our hearts to God’s strength and leading for “the work of Christmas has truly begun.”