JOY

I love Christmas.

In my book, the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of the year.  I have loved it ever since I was a little girl.  There is something about the glow of Christmas lights mingling with the smell of Christmas cookies and Bing Crosby’s Christmas album playing in the background that makes it seem as though all is well in the world.  I like the cold weather, I love gathering with family, I like giving gifts, I love eating holiday food, I like Christmas music on the radio, and I love the decorations.

Another thing I love about Christmas is that it makes it so easy to talk about Jesus.  It is one of the few times of the year that I do not feel like a weirdo for finding so much joy in my faith in Christ.  Because that is what everyone is doing.  I mean, there are probably not many people in America who (whether they are believers or not) do not know that Christmas is supposed to be about Jesus.  There are also many Americans who do not celebrate it as such, but at Christmastime, even non-Christians will join in to a chorus of “Joy to the World” even if they do not believe what the verses were meant to convey… because its Christmas.

I know there are lots of Christians who hate what Christmas has become in America—the “holiday season,” all about shopping, consumerism, and forced family interaction.  Drop a dime in the Salvation Army bucket to feel like you have done your part in feeding the poor, then head into Starbucks and buy your $5 latte… Yes, I know.  But isn’t there something exciting about the widespread acknowledgement of the birth of Jesus Christ, year after year?  Even if the acknowledgement is mixed in with Kohl’s advertisements, it is there.  I think that Christmas is a perfect time for churches and Christians to share the Truth of Christ with people when they are most willing to hear it.  And no, I do not consider “sharing the truth of Christ” something that fits on a bumper sticker.  It is something much more intimate than that.

But I am not in America this Christmas.

I am in Thailand.

I must admit, I was worried that spending Christmas in Thailand was going to be awful.  I fully expected to have a culture shock melt down by now… no silver bells, no candy canes, no lights, no trees, no baking, no family, no caroling, no snow, no nativity scenes… How will I even survive?!

I am very happy to say that this is one expectation of Thailand that has not been met.  On the contrary, I have thoroughly enjoyed the holiday season so far.  Yes, most of the things I love about Christmas are not here: family, food, cold weather, nationwide decorations… But there is one thing that remains the same in Thailand…

Jesus.

Although I do miss spending Christmas in America, I can honestly say that Christmas in Thailand has allowed me to find great JOY in the birth of my Savior—a different kind of joy than the joy given by Christmas lights and Bing Crosby.   It is a joy that I can feel flowing within me, a kind of expectancy of something big and beautiful that God is about to do.  It is a joy that has caused me to wake up with a smile on my face in the morning, my first thought being of God’s goodness to send us salvation in the most unlikely of circumstances.  Joy, that the child of a virgin was the Son of God.  Joy, that there is hope.  Joy, that there is grace and peace and forgiveness and light.  Joy, that there is Jesus.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!