Getting Christ in Christmas (A Christmas Poem)

The Christmas season is here!
Lights sparkle and shine on every street.
Share joy and spread the cheer!
Family and friends we all will greet,
Some come from far, and some from near,
But we all know, they’re here to eat!

The halls are decked,
The tree decorated.
The sled‘s been wrecked,
The carols slated.

Why do we celebrate this “Christmas” season,
Emmanuel is come, that is the reason!
God here with us --is why we give.
He came to die, so we can live!
His gift is free and precious indeed,
To accept the Gift is all you need!

Yet, do we really focus on what he gave?
Or are we focused what we get?
Born in a manger, died on a cross,
Yet the third day rose from the Grave!
Oh! We must never forget-
We gained from His loss.

We all proclaim: “Keep Christ in Christmas!”
“Don’t ever forget!”
Yet it’s the very truth we miss.
“Pass me the present, What did I get?”
  Oh sure we’ll give Him time … a minute will do.
After all, we need to read Luke 2!
We give Him that moment then we move on,
We open the present- the one from Uncle Don.

He got His moment, now put Him back in the box,
With Mary and Joseph and Santa too,
Mom again? I told you I don’t need socks!!
Yes! A dirt bike and this one brand new!
See Dad I told you, Grandma Rocks!
Did you see the I-Pod, oh, is it from you?

He’s in the box now, with reindeer around,
He’ll stay that box, the one on the ground.
The garage for months will be his domain,
For the King−− who as a baby he came .

“We kept Christ in Christmas”--
Well that’s what we say.
Yet the hard truth is this:
It’s all a play.
He’s not in Christmas.
Definitely not this way.

To Keep Christ in Christmas,
Entails much.
To honor Him from above--
Who died so we can live.
The key is this:
 We share his touch.
We spread his love.
But most of all – Give!

And not only to those who give back.
Give to those who need, those who lack!
Christ gave to us what we could never repay.
So that we’ll live in heaven one day.

We keep Him in our celebration.
This is my summation:
The challenge to us who believe:
Get Christ in Christmas! To Him We must cleave!
Share His love to all on earth!
Tell them of the Savior’s birth!
Give to those who can never return,
For Christ love, we cannot earn.
It is a gift one we cannot fathom,
From the perfect sinless second Adam.

Before we can keep Him in our holiday,
we must give Him adoration.
That’s what I say.
So Christ I invite you to our celebration.
The honored guest is who You’ll be,
Who cares what’s under the tree!
Your love I’ll spread, hope, peace and joy.
Forget if I didn’t get that toy.

Happy birthday to Christ  our King,
The very reason that we sing!
Your in my heart, and Christmas too.
My only Christmas wish is to be more like you.

Keep Christ in Christmas it’s a truth.
One I’m getting in my youth.
He needs to get in it from the start.
Get him inside you, yes in your heart.
Share it and shout it out loud!
“Jesus is the reason!” Yes be Proud!
Most of all remember this
Get Christ in your Christmas!

Why I wrote this:

I’ve realized that during the Christmas season people get all wrapped up in the “Keep Christ in Christmas” drama that they focus and lose opportunities to share Christ. We (yes even I was) were focused more about arguing about businesses saying “Happy Holidays” and us telling them “Merry Christmas.” We forget to share the reason we say “Merry Christmas.”

I admit that when I looked at the calendar and saw that this year Christmas was on a Sunday I was disappointed that I Had to go to Church on Christmas! How dumb was that! Then the Lord spoke to my heart and showed me how stupid−−yes STUPID −̶ it was to think that. It’s Christ birthday and He’s inviting me to His house to celebrate it!

Another thing I thought was how can we “Keep Christ in Christmas” if He’s not in it to begin with. Let’s get real for a second. We really don’t focus on Christ on Christmas. Sure we give Him the few minutes it takes to read Luke 2 -- and if you’re really spiritual Matthew 1 as well. But that’s all of Christmas He gets.

If we want to “Keep Christ in Christmas” he needs to be in it first. Christ came to seek and t save the lost. We must accept that Gift to get Christ in Christmas. We must then share that news of salvation with others. Finally we must do as He did and give. Not only to those we love and how will give back, but to those who are our enemies and those who are less fortunate than we. That’s what Christ did. He gave knowing full well that some would hate Him. He gave knowing full well that we could do nothing to repay Him.

He left his throne, left his crown, left his home, to become a baby, laid in a manger, to later be nailed to a cross, laid again this time in a grave, but rose again and conquered death. That is the message of Christmas.

How do we “Keep Christ in Christmas”? By giving him more than two minutes.  By keeping all that in mind I said above in mind.  By getting Christ in your Christmas.