Christmas. The word, its meaning, its views, its reason. When you consider these things about what has devolved into a winter holiday in the eyes of mankind, what do you perceive this day is about? When you think of Christmas, it is not uncommon for us to recount the smells of cookies and pies baking, myriads of lights hung on a tree, crackling fireplaces warming rooms of warm hearts that show love and generosity. One Christmas memory I will always have is hearing a record that would play at my home every year. The artist was Jack Jones, a well-known vocalist in the late 60s-70s. As I set by our tree I could hear him sing the song we know as “The Christmas Waltz.” The first line of the song opens with the imagery of a frosted window pane being illuminated by a burning candle. I have always liked that image. Until recently though I had never thought of that memory in this way.
Consider this with me a moment. Christ is like a candle in a frosted window. No matter how you celebrate Christmas or how you view it, the reason for all that we experience, and all that we know, even in such basic elements both sacred and secular, such as lights on the tree, the generosity of the gift giving, the singing of holy carols, the warm affection we share with families, all points to one thing—the birth of Christ, the introduction of Light in the world. Light has but one quality, and that is Illumination. Now I am not talking about some mystical sense of mind, but a revealing awesome presence of God that He wants to share with you and all mankind if we will only receive Him. His presence is warm and cheering to the hardest of hearts. His love and grace dispel and defy the best efforts of man to comprehend. His promises are unlike any other you have for they are never broken. The Life He promises has no ending. His whole character and being are without end and without change. In all of this God purposely chose His Son to come into the world to be that light which “lighteth every man that comes into the world.” He yearns for us to know Him. He desires our fellowship. He made us that we might love Him. Yet He is seen to many as a faint glow behind the cold glass of the human heart.
When Christ entered into this world, He did not so with majesty as the world knows. He was born in a rude cave shelter for animals, wrapped in rags. In fact, when He grew into a man, the religious leaders of His day felt not humble gratitude at His divine presence among men. What they felt was no less than hatred and pure shame at who He was versus who they hoped He would be. The Jews, who had read the prophets writings, were so consumed with escaping Roman bondage that they desired the presence of Him in His Second Coming (yet to occur). In place of cherishing His humble First Coming, as the sinless Savior they desperately needed, the Jews desired a sword wielding, crown wearing, chariot driving conqueror. The person of Christ was exactly what they needed, but not what they desired. How tragic! The frost of their hearts was heavy upon them. The Light, which Christ offered, had no attraction for the majority of His own people. My friend, the truth of the whole matter is His Light shown in the darkness, but the darkness did not understand it.
How about you? What do you understand? How does the Light that Christ gave and willingly gives today impact you? Shortly after I was saved the most astounding thought I ever had, impacted me in a reaffirming sense while I was teaching an adult Sunday class on a Christmas morning several years ago in Logan, where I then lived. The thought was that Christ, to be born into this world, threw off everything that was dear to Him—His unspeakable glory as the Son of the Most High God, His sinless perfect body traded for a vile smelling robe of flesh, His power laid aside that other men may revile Him, and the sum of all the sin that He did not deserve laid on His shoulders----all this because HE WANTED ME TO BE WITH HIM!
I knew this already, but it impacted me so, that Christ was under no obligation to come into this world just for you and I. No obligation, none. He owed us fallen creatures NOTHING, but His desire was so great, His love made Him go!
The familiar passage of John 3:16 tells us that God willingly GAVE His son, not out of obligation, but because He so LOVED the world. The hymn “Ivory Palaces” best describes this in its refrain: “Out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe, only His great Eternal love, made my Savior go.” My friend there is a wide gulf between the state of Obligation and Love. You and I when we trust in Christ, fall into the arms of a loving Savior, not a grudging one.
Does the Light that Christ offers shine into your heart? Does the glow of Grace fire your soul? Now, I offered this illustration of a Candle (Christ) in a Frosted Window. Here is the bottom line. Every window has two sides. Your heart is like a window, what side do you place yourself? Is your heart on the inside where the warm glow of Christ’s Light fills you and works through you in a deep abiding relationship? Or, is your heart facing a chilled and frosty view towards God. If you are the Frosty Window pane, can you see the warm glow of Christ? Do you desire for that Light to fill your heart? How do you answer? Before you do, one more thought. Christmas may mean many different things to you, but the One and only thing God meant it to be was the introduction of His Son Jesus, because the Father knew that Jesus was exactly the gift you need. You cannot buy, earn, or otherwise obtain the Light Christ has to offer other than personally trusting in Him as the complete payment for your sins and receiving Him as your Savior. To neglect this gift while you live in this world condemns you to an everlasting Hell where you suffer torment for your sins without the presence of God ever to be revealed to you again.
No matter what you have in your wallet, your portfolio, garage or whatever, if Jesus is no more than a faint glimmer in a frosted window, you don’t have anything. Consider this.
All you have to do is simply trust Him and the frost will dissipate in the Light of His Great Love.
Christian believer, this devotion is primarily evangelistic, but to you and I who already know Christ as Savior, the meaning of Christmas is boldly clear. Celebrate the great tidings of joy that the Light of Christ has worked effectually in you. Share it with your family, friends, co-workers, etc. May Jesus Christ be lifted up and testified in and through you with great thankfulness and heartfelt adoration that knows no season or no end.
Jon Browning
© 2006 Bible Center Church
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