I remarked to Hannah a couple of weeks ago, “I feel like this year we really need Christmas.” And I didn’t mean “we,” the Schuller family. I meant “we” the whole world. Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural phenomenon. I know the world as a whole feels this need for Christmas. I am mindful of how so many of us have felt down for years for various reasons, with a proverbial gray sky emotionally hanging over our heads. But note how the Christmas spirit, as you see in the marketplace, media, and movies, has a way of hypothetically breaking these clouds. 

Turning our attention to the Christmas season makes us happier, more awake, and more excited. It also causes us to refocus on the things that matter, the goodness of God in our lives and those we love and care for. Many of us have Christmas day memories from our childhood, or even as adults that we consider some of our happiest moments. The theme of joy is at the heart of the Christmas spirit. Let’s take a moment to imagine the wise men so full of joy as they were directed to locate Jesus! 

Friend, no matter where you are around the world, let’s embrace the joy of the Christmas season. With joy, let us celebrate the birth of our Savior, Christ! We can rejoice by refocusing on God’s goodness and serving others with gladness. Let the Holy Spirit fill your heart with joy at Christmas and all year!