Waking up to Christmas - Bishop Ivan Lee
As a young child, I had deep intellectual "problems' with Christmas. I still remember lying awake in bed, desperately fighting off sleepiness, and at the same time trying to solve the mystery of Santa.
I grew up in a house with several chimneys, so the theory that Santa entered our very securely locked house by slipping down one of them was a plausible one. That is until you thought about things like waist size and chimney size " how come Santa never got stuck? Or why not one of my five brothers or sisters had ever caught a glimpse of him. Or how Santa knew our names (the labels on presents).
These were the questions that plagued my young mind every Christmas Eve. Until, of course, someone told me the truth about Santa.
But what about the truth about Christmas? Well, I had to wait over ten years later, when someone took the time to explain to me the "reason for the season" " that to understand the significance of Christmas you must see it as the culmination of God's great plan for the world.
Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world as a baby boy. But his work didn't end in a nativity scene. It didn't even end with the great teaching he gave or the miracles he performed, though they were both great and miraculous.
Jesus became the King whose kingdom will never end. He did this through dying on the cross, conquering death, and rising again. Jesus now offers us forgiveness and new life. We can have peace with God and spend eternity in his kingdom.
This Christmas, I would encourage you to investigate the "reason for the season". Or if you already know the story, but have lost touch with its significance for your life, why not reacquaint yourself with the meaning of Christmas? Find out how Jesus is part of God's great plan for the world, and how you can be part of that plan.
It is not difficult find out more about Jesus Christ. Why not start by reading one of the gospels in the New Testament? Matthew or Luke would be a great starting point. For more information, contact a nearby Anglican church, or if you'd rather jump on the Internet, then [url=http://www.christianity.net.au]http://www.christianity.net.au[/url] is a great site.
May I wish you and your loved ones a safe, happy and joyful Christmas season.
Bishop Ivan Lee is the Anglican Bishop of Western Sydney. The region covers the western areas of Sydney from Lidcombe to the Blue Mountains and Lithgow and taking in the Hills, Blacktown, Penrith and the Hawkesbury and Nepean areas.
