Christmas is all about gifts
Autor: Anderson Rodrigues | Publicado: 2016-12-23T08:51:00-08:00









Christmas is all about gifts. That’s the statement I heard two
days ago. Impressed with my negative answer when asked about the “Christmas
shopping”, a tradition that helps us understand the commerce this date has become
and how driven away from the original purpose, the criticism was plain: How can you do
that, Christmas is all about gifts!



This is not new for me. I think it's not new for some of you either. Not only
here in the United States but also around the World, Christian holidays have lost
their meaning. We cannot say the same of Islamic holidays. An Islamic
country lives as one. A Jewish nation does the same. In fact, even outside of their own countries these Eastern holidays will have the due respect to their original
meaning. How about a nation so called Christian? I don’t even need to answer.



It’s also true that a holiday alone makes no
significant difference in one’s life. However, in exchanging the original meaning
for any other thing, it just shows the attitude of people's mind, by either disinterest
or shame of the original meaning. I will not despise the global attempt to make
everything that reminds the Christian God something to be ridicule and forced to be put aside. The
Bible says the spirit of the Anti-Christ is already in the world (1 John 4:3), and
this is clearly seem by those who have their eyes opened. In talking about
this, Paul says “He will oppose and will
exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he
sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” 2
Thessalonians 2:4.



We don’t know much about the
exact person who will declare himself god in this way, but what we do know is
that God, Christianity, especially the name of Jesus, have been ridicule in the Western World, where it should be otherwise. I cannot see any Muslin ridiculing
others in their countries, and here we are, hearing and seeing the open rejection
of the faith by which this country was made great. Here we are, seeing the god
MONEY overcoming the true God, not as a matter of fact, but inside each ones
heart and mind.






Christmas is all about gifts….I
have to partially agree. Even though was not the intention, I cannot despise certain
originality in this argument. I just think we are not remembering the right gift
and the reason it was given. 



700 years B.C. That’s a long
time. Seven centuries before the day when Christ was born, God declared through
Isaiah one of the most beautiful prophecies of the entire Bible. 



For to us a child is born, to
us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of
his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and
righteousness&nbsp; from that time on and
forever.The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.



I call your attention to the
fact that a child was born. It was not a son. The son already existed. The son
was given. What a great treasury! Is there any Christmas gift greater than the
son? Why one cannot grasp this greatness? 



Unfortunately, the conscience has
been cauterized. Why do I need a savior, one asks. I need a new laptop. New
clothes, the new trend. Materialism has been used as a way to find happiness,
joy, peace. Sorry but I have to say this straight. IT WILL NEVER WORK. No human
being on the face of this earth will ever conclude, “If it had not been for the
material things I gathered, I would not have lived the best of my life; now I can go
in peace to the grave”. We all know by history the conclusion has been just the
opposite. How many millionaires regretted of having everything but peace. How
many successful people have already taken their own lives. The truth is, no
material thing can touch and transform a spiritual soul who is hungry and
thirsty of true life. People are once again trying to solve a profound spiritual
problem with the superficiality of a material world, only by what the eyes can see
and the hands touch. 



But let me say something. For a
people who is lost, not knowing where to go or what to do, a Wonderful Counselor has been given. In
each page of His word, in each statement he made, in every vocabulary he used,
you can find a way to the eternal, you can find a way to life, you can put this
suffering to an end without any other gift your money could possibly buy!



The god money has been used over
and over again, but never had the power to deliver what it promises. It is
a weak tool. Nevertheless, a Mighty God
was given to you in the original Christmas day. Not as the powerless money,
which can buy you a bed but never a rest; can buy you a trip but never the joy;
can buy you a house but never the peace; can buy you a party but never a
friend; can buy you a lover but never the love. The Almighty God came to give
you freely all that your soul is longing for. What a divine night, when he was
born in this World.





Some, with or without money, will
have another Christmas as orphans, fatherless. How hard it's to lose the father. Worse still is never having one. However, in the true Christmas, an Everlasting Father was given to us. When you need protection, you have the Father.
When you need correction, you have the Father. When you need help, you have the Father. Furthermore, only the children have rights for the promised inheritance. When
you join this family, you have an eternal richness beyond measure, not worth
comparing with anything in this world. The Everlasting Father provides to you all
that you need plus everything you have never dreamed to have.





These three gifts are all in one,
but there’s the fourth. I cannot think in any other thing people are looking
for more than this one. You can be in the midst of a war or in the silence of you home,
given that you have one. No matter the place, no matter the circumstance, what
the whole World together is seeking is only one thing. Peace. It is important
to mention that peace is not the absence of problems, but is rather, when even
in the middle of problems, in spite of it, you can have peace within you. I can
guarantee you, on one else is able to give this peace. Why? Because there’s
only one who is the Prince of Peace. Hearts troubled. Mind confused. What the World needs in this Christmas is the true Peace of God. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."&nbsp;Philippians 4:7&nbsp;



That during this Christmas you
may meditate in the best gift we have ever received. You just need to accept it, better, to accept HIM. IF Christmas is all about gifts,
I don’t know, what I do know is that the best gift we could possibly receive
was already given.





An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone
around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be
afraid. I bring you good news that will
cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has
been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You
will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great
company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on
earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:9-14



Merry Christmas.