On the Third Day of Christmas!

Posted on by Matt Parker


“The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.“ – John 1:14

I was saddened, but not surprised, on December 23 when Laurie Hodges posted apicture to Facebook of Valentines candy on the shelves at Wal Mart. In our ‘hurry up and wait” society, we seem to rush through the holidays to make room for what’s next. Radio stations stopped playing Christmas music on December 26. Decorations that were up before Thanksgiving started coming down on Christmas night. It seems we have rushed through another holiday to get to what’s next.

According to the church calendar, Christmas BEGINS on December 25 and lasts until January 6 (the Epiphany). This is why we sing about the 12 Days of Christmas. But in reality, the spirit of Christmas can last much longer. Christmas is our time to celebrate God with us — the birth of Jesus, the Word that became flesh. The presence of God with us changes our lives forever as we are transformed in the image of Christ.

So as you take down the trees and pack up the decorations for next year, remember to hold onto the hope, joy, love, and peace that comes from Jesus. Have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to being with you in worship this Sunday at 10:15 AM (special combined service for the Wesley Covenant Renewal — see below)!

Merry Christmas,
Matt

P.S. We will be starting a new teaching series in our worship services on January 5 called Exploration. In this year-long series, we will be preaching and teaching through the entire Bible during 2020. As part of the series, you are invited and encouraged to explore with us through daily Bible reading plans. You can find these plans and more online at roystonfirstumc.org/exploration.

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