‘Tis the Christmas Movie Season
I’ve been watching a few Christmas movies lately. ‘Tis the Season. Get your hot chocolate, popcorn, soft fuzzy throw, sit by the fire and turn on the telly.
I admit that I enjoy the silly Christmas chick flicks. They are fun, enjoyable and totally forgettable.
But the last two nights I watched movies with substance in them. Movies that remind me that no matter how broken our world, our lives, our loved ones—there is hope beyond measure.
Hope Beyond Measure
A Christmas Carol, the perennial favorite, tells the story of Mr. Scrooge and the visits of Christmas Past, Present and Future. This hard-hearted old man came from a terrible childhood of rejection. It’s no wonder he became focused on his business and tuned out the needs of people whom he could help in great measure. Until—one Christmas Eve when the heavenly visitors changed his life perspective and he became a “Man Who Kept Christmas Better Than Most.”
The other story, set in post-Civil War, told of a young widow and her son who relocated after tragedy found them. Life went from a gracious mansion to small town rough living. In the process, the boy lost a carved nativity that his Dad and he used to set up every Christmas Eve. Now Dad was gone and so were the nativity figures. In the new surroundings, a wood carver lived just a little out of town. He had lost wife and child and lived a bitter life alone. Eventually, the boy and the wood carver both came back to life when a new nativity was created. A beautiful story.
I watch these two movies to remind me of the redemption that Christmas brings to us because of the graciousness of our God. It’s a kind of centering amid all the fluff of the season.
Advent – Awaiting – Peace on Earth and Goodwill To Men
Tragedy of all kinds still surrounds us during this Advent season, but Jesus came to give us life and hope beyond measure. The angels announcing our Savior’s birth declared, “peace on earth and goodwill to man.” Redemption was set in motion.
Every Advent season is a reminder of the promise of God that all things will be renewed. The timing belongs to God. Advent is a period of waiting for God to move in His story of redemption. Yet, at the same time, how strange it is that God waits for us. This brings me comfort—to know that God will not move until everyone who will answer His call has done so.
Until then, we endure. We wait. And we celebrate every year the fact that God has not forgotten us in our woes and He is coming again. He will set everything right and restore our souls. And there will truly be peace and goodwill.
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14.
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