Christmas in July

Our local Christian radio station is getting ready to have a “Christmas in July” event in a couple of days, on July 25th.  I’ve been hearing about it on the radio.  I read about it in their weekly newsletter.  They are going to be playing Christmas music all day on the 25th, along with giving prizes (aka presents) the week leading up to this event.

The tradition of Christmas, for all who are reading this, has always been December 25th.  This traditional date is so comfortable to us that we do not even tend to think much about the fact that the actual date of Jesus’ birth is not recorded.  We simply use December 25th as a standard date to celebrate His birth.

Besides gift-giving, Christmas is a time of remembering Jesus.  Why not remind people of Him in July?  Why limit ourselves to “thinking” about Him just the weeks following Thanksgiving, leading up to Christmas?

What is at least one thing you like about Jesus?  Maybe you’re one who really doesn’t like anything about Him.  Maybe He’s let you down, in your opinion, too many times.  Maybe He didn’t answer your prayer, allow you to have a job, protect your child, heal an ill person, or a number of other reasons.

It can be really easy to forget about Jesus the way we think about Him during the holiday season.  We see His name in a lot of places.  His name is in print all over.  One cannot go through the Christmas season without hearing phrases like “Jesus is the reason for the season” or “keep Christ in Christmas”.

If you’re like me, it is quite possible to not remember something very well when you don’t have it on the forefront of your mind.  I can forget to do something within five-minutes if I get sidetracked.  So, to seriously think about something just one short time during a three hundred sixty-five day year, is not keeping it on the forefront. 

 

Many of you may go to a church, so you remember Jesus weekly.  However, as we remember Him differently around Christmas, may we use the 25th day of the month of July to remember the blessings that He has “given” us as a “present” to be able to live forever.

So, as you listen to the sound of holiday music being played in a couple of days, may you be encouraged and lifted up to appreciate the “gift of grace” and praise Him!  Keep in mind this July 25th, that, Jesus is the reason for this season, too!