5 minute read
WHAT MIGHT CHRISTMAS LOOK LIKE IN THE YEARS TO COME?
DEVOTIONAL
As political correctness is on everyone’s lookout, I wonder how long we can mention about, greet someone on, or celebrate Christmas openly without fear of being reprimanded or harshly criticized publicly. More so, I wonder how we can bring about the “Christ” of Christmas readily. Also, as political unrests continue to deliver its sound of war to the world, and as financial uncertainty causes survival alarm to the nations, can Christmas be merry still as it used to be? Will not the rise of heinous crimes and vulgarity distract our reverent observance of Christmas?
Christmas Truce
Have you heard about the Christmas Truce on December 24–25, 1914 during World War I?
On July 28, the major countries of Europe engaged in a war. The British, Belgians and French were allies against the Germans. They expected the conflict to be over by Christmas of that year.
In December, some 100,000 soldiers scattered in Flanders, Belgium, bordering France. They saw themselves in trenches 150 feet away from enemy lines. It was several weeks of mild but soaking rain, creating sudden snow and hard frost ice.
As Christmas day approached, German Emperor William II, intending to bolster the morale of his soldiers, sent Christmas trees to them. On December 23, these German soldiers began placing the trees outside their trenches while singing, “Silent Night.” Like how Christmas naturally brings in the hearts, the Allies complimented it by singing “The First Noel” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” The Germans immediately joined with the Latin version, “Adeste Fidelis.”
The story reads, “By Christmas Eve, some lower-ranking British officers had begun ordering their men not to fire unless fired upon.
As morning broke on Christmas Day, German soldiers emerged from their trenches, waving their arms to demonstrate that they had no ill intent. When it became clear that they were not carrying weapons, British soldiers soon joined them, meeting in No Man’s Land to socialize and exchange gifts.” (Christmas Truce, Michael Ray, Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed 14 October 2022, https://www.britannica.com/ event/The-Christmas-Truce)
Aside from sharing carols, food, and comradeship, they played soccer against each other in the No Man’s Land. They played soccer on New Year’s Day, also. It is so wonderful to imagine what peace the spirit of Christmas had brought in a real war!
Sadly, that sweet blessing of Christmas was disapproved by the commanders of both camps. “As the Great War resumed, it wreaked such destruction and devastation that soldiers became hardened to the brutality of the war. While there were occasional moments of peace throughout the rest of World War I, they never again came on the scale of the Christmas Truce in 1914.” (Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce of 1914, Bajekal, Naina 2014, Time, accessed 14 October 2022, https://time.com/3643889/ christmas-truce-1914/)
When the war ended in 1918, 25 million people were killed or wounded.
Christmas Blessings
Jesus Christ of Christmas will come again on earth, not in a time when things here are pleasant and better. Not at all! 2 Timothy 3:1–5 lists the wickedness of people in the “perilous times” of the “last days.” The practice of sin listed in Romans 1:21–31 justifies the “righteous judgment of God.” He needs to come back to redeem His oppressed children. Likewise, it is so wonderful to imagine the blessing of inner peace the spirit of Christmas can bring.
Imagine what the presence of Christ brought to the lack of material resource when He made water into wine in the Cana wedding (John 2:1–12); healing of physical and mental ailment to the mother-in-law of Peter and the demoniac (Matthew 8:14–16); comfort and assurance to the disciples when He calmed the storm while they were sailing in a boat (Mark 4:35–39); hope to the condemned adulterer (John 8:1–11) and to the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39–43); offer of friendship to a greedy tax collector, Zacchaeus (Luke 19:5–10); and even resurrection to Lazarus (John 11:41–44) and to others who die in Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). Those blessings came when Christ was with them physically. Yet, the Apostle Paul also experienced blessings when “Christ lives in” him (Galatians 2:20) by faith.
Christmas Wish When circumstances go worst in the coming years, we can still be at best if the Christ of Christmas would be present there. Those circumstances will only make us crave for an eternal, concrete peace in heaven. Situations may be unpleasant, but our intentional choice to still have a “Merry Christmas,” one year at a time, could bring us earthly peace while sojourning here on earth. “Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him.” (Ephesians 3:17, NLT).
By Abel Cordero, Pastor of Moreno Hills Adventist Church Southeastern California Conference
Abel Cordero, Pastor of Moreno Hills
