It may seem odd at first, for us to be talking about the twelve days of Christmas at the beginning of the secular year. Shouldn’t our subject be New Year’s Day?
OUR CALENDAR IS A BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD’S
In the first place; we believe that Christ was born in the fall.
Our Christmas celebrations are all about the Conception of Christ and the miracle of Immanuel – Christ with us. We are celebrating the fact that The Light of the World has come down to dwell among men.
Is is odd to you that we choose to celebrate the greatest miracle that ever happened to mankind from Fall until the middle of winter in some way, shape or fashion?
Why?
After all; it IS the greatest miracle that ever happened.
FOLLOWING THE TIMES OF CHRIST’S LIFE STORY
So every fall we celebrate the birth of Christ at The Feast of Tabernacles.
In December we realize for Christ to be born in the fall, He would have been Conceived, or placed to grow inside Mary’s womb into a healthy child (the same as we all grew into an infant) in December.
That is where our celebrations about Christ’s story begin. It happened in the deepest, darkest, coldest night of the year. Christ came to dispell the darkness, to be born of a Virgin and to change the world from dark to light.
THE GREATEST MIRACLE AND GREAT CELEBRATIONS
Our December celebrations also incorporate the great miracle that happened at Hanukkah; when the Holy Temple was restored and the great light had enough oil to burn for eight days; even though it seemed (by human reckoning) it would only last for one day.
That great miracle on the first Hanukkah was merely a shadow of the coming of Christ – The Light of the World.
So; we celebrate much of the thoughts of Hanukkah as the Jewish people; only we translate things further in light of the fact that we believe and KNOW that Our Messiah has come in the form of a child named Jesus who grew into a man who became The Savior of The World.
Now those days of celebration of his birth are behind us; but we are still celebrating.
We won’t take our Christmas decorations down until we are practically two weeks into January on the secular calendar.
Why is that?
REMEMBERING THE WISEMEN
Well; the story is so big; it just doesn’t fit into one day.
It is even hard to get the whole story of the life of Christ to fit into a whole year!
In January we remember the coming of the wise men to worship Jesus as The King of Kings. All of their stories are remembered and more of the gospel is refreshed in our minds.
LOOKING FORWARD WHILE LOOKING BACK
That is when we remember all of the things seen from looking forward from the time of Christ’s birth until the present and into the future.
Yet at the same time; this is also a time of reflection on the past. Looking backward from the time of Christ’s birth; we think of Mary and how she began the first month of being pregnant with a child of God.
REFLECTIONS ABOUT MARY’S LIFE
How confusing that could have been to Mary.
She must have pondered the greatest miracle that was happening and probably had intense moments of joy mixed with sad moments whenever she realized the way the world would see things.
This is much like any young girl as she considers a pregnancy that is unexpected today. Mary kept her eyes on God. She didn’t let the pressures of the world affect her thinking and her living.
Mary chose life and because she did; we all have eternal life.
CELEBRATING THE SACREDNESS OF LIFE
In January we remember these things, and we celebrate the miracle of life. Life begins so small and fragile. Then it grows into a being that can bring glory to God. We celebrate the sanctity of all life as we begin a new civil year.
We do this because we have come to believe that a life; even just one life, can change the world.
Abortion takes away the ability for this miracle to happen. We need more world-changers to be born. The present world needs more life to come into the days of planet earth. We have been put here to form life; not death.
FOLLOWING GOD WITH OUR TIMES
God isn’t finished with us.
He has great plans for us, if we will only follow His directions instead of listening to the sad designs of modern thinkers who are unbelievers.
THE NEW YEAR OF THE TREES
God gave people life. Also, he gave plants life.
The new year of the trees celebrates the life of plants. There are laws from God that govern this life. Here is a link to help your understanding of how important a tree can be: https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Winter_Holidays/Tu_B_shevat/tu_b_shevat.html.
Because plants have life; we have nourishment. Men have forgotten much of this; but the new year of the trees is a great reminder for true and proper science to have a place in our daily lives.
THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF TIME
Our gift of time is SO FULL in the month ahead. https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/sacred-appointed-times-and-seasons/.
Let’s thank God for this awesome gift of 24 hours each day of the coming month. The world may be in chaos around us; but God has given us time to use His way.
If we are wise and use our precious time the way He purposed for us to do; the world will keep turning and be healed.
It is up to all of us.
January is going to be another month full of so many special thoughts and celebrations. May God speak to us in each and every thing that we do during the month.
I pray that our hearts, souls and minds conform to God’s ways over the ways of mankind.
In the coming month, may our daily living speak without words.