Merry Christmas - by Greg Steggerda

Joy to the world! The Lord has come! Today truly is one of the most wonderful days of the year, equaled only by Easter Sunday. I wish all my family and friends the fullest blessings that life in our Lord Jesus can bring!

I think Joy to the World would make a much better greeting this time of year than either Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas, but I do like Merry Christmas. I like it because the word merry connotes a carefree celebration, a temporary setting aside of the things that trouble us to mark without inhibition the birthday of our King.

Here’s a glimpse of it, from Revelation 7:9-10: “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“‘Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.’”

No matter what sorrows and worries weighed on us yesterday, and will again tomorrow, for today most of us can celebrate the fact that, because of baby Jesus and all he would do on this earth, our futures are certain. To be sure, our cares aren’t that easily forgotten, but if there ever was a day for being merry, this is it.

So Merry Christmas! Today we remember that little baby in a manger who would win salvation for us and today sits on the throne. That’s a big deal! Joy to the world!