Make Room this Christmas

This year in early November social media lit up as people posted images of their Christmas lights and trees. I am not the only person to notice this (see page 8). My family are big on Christmas, so this is not unusual to me, but the surprise was the amount of people who are decorating their houses in anticipation and preparation for a season of joy, hope and peace in early November!

Traditions around Christmas infuse stability and unity as individuals, families and friends throughout our four nations enact their own rituals for this holy season. Children, in particular, can enter into the festivities as the school year comes to a close and the excitement builds for Christmas celebrations and warm summer days.

The theme for this Christmas edition is joy. It is also about recapturing the wonder and fascination of the season and reminding ourselves of the promises woven into the biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The frenetic pace of life, the financial pressures, the constant bad news, the family conflicts and unspoken expectations have the ability to derail joy, hope and peace this year. My prayer for you and your family and friends this Christmas is that you will make room for joy, for wonder, for celebration; that you will create spaces in your routines, hearts and homes to come aside with your loved ones and enjoy the joy and wonder that Christmas brings.

I also ask you to invite into your hearts and homes this Christmas, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. God the Father wrapped all of heaven’s blessings in a tiny baby, his son, and sent him to earth so he could live and die to make a way for you to enter into an abundant life on earth and an eternity with your Saviour Jesus Christ. Invite him in, because amongst his many other blessings, he comes bearing gifts of hope, joy and peace.

If you don’t know him, let me introduce Jesus to you. In the Bible it says: ‘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 Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6).

Make room for joy, make room for hope, make room for peace ... make room for Jesus this Christmas.

Vivienne HillEditor