PASKONG KAY SAYA! What Makes Christmas Really MerrySample

Day 1: A Fuss-Free Christmas

“She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:23 NLT)

Here in the Philippines, as soon as September arrives, Jose Mari Chan’s “Christmas in Our Hearts” begins to dominate radio stations and mall playlists... homes, streets, and establishments are lighted with parol and decor… and children start their pangangaroling by belting Christmas carols from house to house.

But despite (or maybe because of) our early celebrations, we find ourselves caught up in the Christmas rush. There are always more gifts to buy, more holiday dishes to prepare, and more parties to attend. The list of what needs to be done seems never to end and we begin to think that Christmas is all fuss and no fun.

If we'll look at the first Christmas, we'll find that Joseph may have felt infinitely worse. Everything in his life seemed out of hand. First, he discovered that Mary, with whom he was engaged, was pregnant (Matthew 1:18). He married her anyway in obedience to God (v. 24). But in doing so, he claimed responsibility for the child and embraced severe social stigma. Then, there was the decree for a census (Luke 2:1), which meant that Joseph had to travel all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem with his very pregnant wife Mary (v. 4-5). Imagine the stress during their journey—and the greater stress when Mary’s time to give birth came, but “there was no lodging available for them” (v. 7). Still recovering from this, Joseph and Mary faced yet another problem: King Herod wanted the child Jesus dead (Matthew 2:13). So they escaped to Egypt and hid there until Herod died (v. 14-15).

We often imagine the first Christmas with festivities and angels singing ‘Glory to the newborn King!’ But as we’ve just read, Joseph and Mary trod a bumpy road. Yet they kept walking that road because they knew this one truth: they had Jesus with them, also called Immanuel, which means “God is with us” (1:23).

Through the flurries and busyness of this season, may we, like Joseph and Mary, find that Jesus is with us. His presence in our lives is enough... more than enough. Because even without all the gifts and bright lights and celebrations, Christmas will still be Christmas if we have Jesus. May we not fuss over what needs to be done or bought or prepared. Instead, may we focus on Jesus, the Who behind it all. And if we haven’t already, may we grant Him entrance into our lives.

What about the Christmas season makes you stressed? How can you make this year’s celebration less about the fuss and more about Jesus?

Dear God, I’m tired and stressed because I left Jesus out of my Christmas preparations. Please forgive me and help me recenter my Christmas–and my life–around Him.