Christmas: A Promise Kept

The Birth of Christ Proves God Never Makes a Promise He Doesn’t Keep

Each year, Christmas creates in us a longing that reminds us not only of story of Jesus’ birth, but also hints at His promise to return one day. In fact, His future return makes His birth all the more meaningful for both events have considerable redemptive meaning for not only His people, but for the rest of the creation.

Rewind back to my childhood days, just before Christmas; as a little boy, I was totally convinced Santa Claus was the real deal. But thanks to my sweet, snooping, little sister Sandra, (who cannot stand to be in suspense during the holidays) the jolly ole “Saint Nick story” of him in a red suit, somehow magically flying around the world, on a supersonic sleigh led by eight tiny reindeer on Christmas Eve, was totally debunked. Much to my dismay, her persistent detective skills paid off when she discovered where Mom and Dad hid the Christmas presents (effectively proving our parents were playing the real Santa). It was a let down to me, I admit. From that very moment, Santa was dethroned from my childhood dreams. No more leaving milk and cookies for ole Saint Nick on Christmas Eve. No more pleading letters to the North Pole. No more carrots for the reindeer. But, in some strange way, I was kinda relieved. I did have a slight, lingering suspicion that maybe the story of Santa was a bit of a fable, even though it was presented initially to me as more of a loving parent’s promise that a child could trust.

Fast forward to the first Christmas after I became a Christian and was baptized, from then on, December 25th carried a brand new meaning for me. Somehow it was now different. It was a special day—not just a “holiday.” It was literally “a holy-day.” The candlelight service on Christmas Eve at church took on a more sacred and deeper meaning for me. I could feel and sense things I didn’t before. Almost overnight, Christmas Eve became one of those “Silent Nights” to ponder the miracle of Jesus, how God became human, yet without sin or blemish, as our Savior.

Suddenly, I felt “personally connected” to the whole Christmas story like never before. Before, I felt “on the sidelines” looking on as a bystander. Now, I sensed the birth of Christ embraced me as I embraced Him. I began to understand what the Bible means by the word “joy.” Even the Christmas carols and hymns rang with a sense of significance they never had before.

Before becoming a believer, I never gave the return of Christ much of a thought. After my baptism, my thinking dramatically changed. I could not separate the two events in my mind as eternally connected; one ensured the other. So, especially at Christmas, I would think about Jesus’ promised return often. It all started making more sense to me the more I thought about it. I began to understand why so many Christians believed this truth taught in the Scriptures with unapologetic enthusiasm.

And ponder I did, long and earnest. But always, as I sat back into the pew, I expected something else to happen—something to fill the longing inside of me. I know now that I was deep into a Christmas longing. It’s a longing each of us senses this time of year—especially when we listen to the child inside of us. It tugs at our heart strings in the secret places of our soul that summons our thoughts to something we know we don’t quite have now, but hope to have one day. It’s a desire to be home, to belong, to find fulfillment, complete and eternal. To finally experience a love so perfect, so wonderful, so lasting. A love we always hoped for, but never could quite have.

Christmas is that Grand Invitation to an even greater Cosmic Celebration yet to come. It’s the “best that’s yet to be.” It’s the realization that this world can never truly satisfy our deepest longings, that we were made for heaven, ultimately. On this side of eternity, Christmas is a promise. The Savior brings inner peace to those who receive Him. But the story is not finished until there is peace everywhere in our world.

I don’t think it’s stretching the truth to say every dazzling decoration, every tasty desert treat, every surprise gift, every melodic carol, every warm hug, every bright smile and moment of laughter, at this time of the year, is merely a foretaste to a place and a life where there is a much bigger and better reality awaiting us; a never-ending, mind-blowing, Christmas every day that absolutely defies the very limits of our best, mortal imagination. All of that is still built upon the unshakable granite pillars of our God’s promise.

Joni Eareckson Tada puts it this way; “Every Christmas is still a “turning of the page” until Jesus returns. Every December 25th marks another year that draws us closer to the fulfillment of the ages, that draws us closer to our heavenly home. Every Christmas carol is a beautiful echo of the heavenly choir that will one day fill the universe with joy and singing. Each Christmas gift is a foreshadowing of the gifts of golden crowns to be cast at the feet of the King of Kings. Each smile, each embrace, beckons us onward and calls us upward when those who have received the gift of God’s Son will see the Lord face to face.” 

Advent angels joyously hovered over those shepherd’s fields heralding His birth on that black, Judean, Bethlehem night two-thousand years ago. But, one day they will herald the dawning of a new day for not only us personally, but for the entire creation. God’s sure promise of a new day where there will be no end to love, joy and peace. A new day where our best dreams finally do come true and our nightmares and fears trouble us no more. A new day where our questions will be answered and our frustrations will be non-existent. A new day where something too good to be real finally becomes real because it’s too good.

Could the rapturous joy we feel, in those fleeting moments of our best Christmas on earth, be but a mere tidbit morsel of the perfect sumptuous, eternal feast for our senses in heaven? Yet, this is God’s promise. Can you envision not only a place, but a plane of existence for yourself, forever, that is so awesome, so rich and so thick with joy, love, peace and excitement that it’s impossible to wrap your mind around it now in this temporal life?

Apparently, the single most common denominator, from the more credible near-death experiences, is the fact that everyone who visited heaven was stunned beyond words at it’s beauty and the feeling they felt, which far exceeded being merely overwhelmed, that it was frustratingly impossible to adequately describe. Yet, this is God’s promise, not just a pie in the sky for religious people, “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him,” (I Cor. 2:9). 

Our Heavenly Father is our Promise-Maker and also our Promise-Keeper. He has a perfect track record; He’s never made a promise He didn’t keep. Faithful is His name.

“Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deut. 7:9).

The Hebrew root word for “faithful” here includes the idea of confirmation or proof. God always proves to be reliable when it comes to His relationship with us. The root word behind God’s name is “aman.”  At the heart of the meaning of the root is the idea of certainty. The book of Revelation also calls Jesus “the Amen” (Rev. 3:14). This brings us back to where we started because the Greek word “Amen” is adapted from the Hebrew word “aman.” Interestingly (Revelation 3:14) goes on to call Jesus “faithful and true.” So, when God says He is going to do something—we have good reason to believe and trust Him because that is His unchangeable, eternal character. That’s who He is. He always has, He always will. This is the promise of Christmas and the promise of Jesus’ return.

This Christmas I pray that God will fill the secret longing of your heart with a fresh, renewed awareness of the reality of love and peace of His Son offers you in His gift of eternal life. May the babe of Bethlehem who gave His life on the cross of Calvary for you, in your place, bring you hope and joy throughout the year and on into eternity. That is His promise to you and that’s a promise you can trust He’ll keep.

“Behold, I bring you Good News of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
(Luke 2:10–11)