All I Really Want

At the Lewis House, Christmas season begins after Thanksgiving – not sooner. So it happened that we start listening to Christmas music. Just the other day I was listening to “All I Want” by Steven Curtis Chapman, and it struck me that the world is so lost.

A very long time ago in the time of Moses, a generation of god-seeking people replaced the true God with a product of their hands- a golden calf. God was mad that he would have struck them dead but he forgave them.

A long time ago in a slightly closer past, Jesus came down into the world for a purpose – to give this destined-to-hell people what they needed – a Savior. God gave His Son, out of his love, so that we could have a life with Him in heaven if we believe in Him. He was with us. He lived with us. He took our intended punishment upon himself – even to death on a cross- to free us from eternal damnation. God gave us what we desperately needed, an abundant life. This is Christmas!

We have replaced the source of our joy with things we can hold instead of the One who holds us in His hands. 

But here we are again. Another generation of people, who has seen, lived with or heard of the Savior, is seeking yet another thing in His place. We celebrate Christmas with so many traditions. We have now replaced Jesus Christ with material things. The meaning of Christmas has long been gone and –downgraded. People complain about the phrase “Happy Holidays” and the red Starbucks cups. May it be that we revere the Son of God more than choosing the phrase “Merry Christmas” and drinking coffee in a snow-flake and snow—man decorated paper cup. We train our kids to make wish lists. We buy them the one toy that will make them stand out from the other kids. We believe that the latest electronic gadget will make them happier than everyone else. We have replaced the source of our joy with things we can hold instead of the One who holds us in His hands.

This is the first year that a member of our family resides in another state- a faraway state. Now I wish to have all of us together on Christmas Day with all the traditions (including listening to Kenny Roger’s “Christmas in America” and making ginger bread houses), food (yummy= high fat and sugar content), friends, presents, and games (Catan and Civ) that we have been accustomed to. But most of all, I want my family to be reminded of and act according to the gift we received in Jesus Christ. For what is family without the love of Christ?