Christmas. How much did it cost you this year? Do you know? Or, maybe you’re one of those “last-minute” shoppers who won’t know til the credit card bill comes.

Christmas is the most expensive time of the year. I’ve researched how much Americans spend yearly and am astounded at the numbers. What caught my attention is how much the amount has jumped ”big time” yearly. Want to take a guess?

This information is a little dated but will give you a general idea. Here’s a hint: start in the billions, many, many billions. Take a look at this. https://www.google.com/search?client=avast-a-3&q=how+much+did+america+spend+on+christmas+2020&oq=How+mch+do+Americans+spend+on+Christmas%3F+&aqs=avast.6.69i57j0l7.32761j0j4&ie=UTF-8

How much does the “average” American spend for Christmas? Are you average? Here’s some information and advice from Dave Ramsey. https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/where-does-your-christmas-spending-rank

Let’s look at this holy day from another vantage point. Let’s shift gears from the commercial side of Christmas and focus for a few moments on what the holy day (holiday) is really about. To do this, consider this question, “What did Christmas cost God?”

Followers of Jesus have been celebrating the Advent Season this month. Advent is the recognition of the single greatest event in human history, the moment when God became incarnate to address our sin, the greatest need of human existence. Jesus, God in human form, came to bring me and you into the very presence of and fellowship with God through the forgiveness he provides through his death and resurrection.

Have you ever considered what a costly thing this was for God to forgive you? 

Have you ever truly forgiven someone? If so, you know that you paid a price to do that. Forgiveness always involves suffering on the part of the one who forgives.  It means to take upon yourself the hurt imposed by another. As a parent, spouse, or friend you have likely suffered at the hands of those you love.

Forgiving those who hurt you is a costly thing. You have to endure pain if you forgive someone. You take that pain within yourself without holding the other person accountable or seeking revenge. 

Now think about that idea and how it relates to Christmas, the Advent Season. Christmas is about the cost God is willing to pay, what he is willing to suffer to restore a broken fellowship, to save us from ourselves and the wreck sin will make of our life.

Our sin brought Jesus into the world and our sin put him on the cross because God loves us so much he was and is willing to give his only begotten son so that we can be forgiven.

Does this give you an idea about how much you are worth to God, and how much he loves you? 

While we enjoy the trappings of Christmas and being with those we love, let’s remember that Christmas is really about the cost of forgiveness. 

When was the last time you’ve let the idea that Christmas is about God and your sin sink in? Jesus came into the world for you, to live, suffer, die, and be raised from the dead for you. 

 

The Apostle Paul was converted as he was on the way to Damascus to persecute Christians. He never got over it. He was so deeply converted, so changed that he devoted the remainder of his life to serving Jesus. 

Paul’s entire life, his present and future, were altered by what God had done at Christmas. Writing to the Philippian Christians he gives us a sense of the gratitude and devotion Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection had stirred in him.

” Whatever things were gained to me, those things I have counted loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss given the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish so that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8.    

You know, we tend to forget how good we have it in life. We get used to and take for granted how very good God is to us, and the fact that he gave his Son to save us. We tend to get over the wonder and magnificence of the depth of God’s love for us.

Have you gotten used to how well God loves you?

Have you gotten over the sense of wonder and awe when you first came to faith in Jesus? Reflect on what Christmas cost God and what that says about you.

Merry Christmas to you and to all those you hold dear in your heart.