It's Christmas Eve

Christmas isn't Christmas,
till it happens in your heart,
Somewhere deep inside you,
Is where Christmas really starts,
So give your heart to Jesus,
You'll discover when you do,
That it's Christmas, really Christmas,
For you...

I found it rather difficult to find the lyrics for this song, and a version I found said ''give your heart to people" rather than Jesus, in an effort to become politically correct. I think the original is more accurate though :) This is cos you can't really discover the real meaning of Christmas unless you know what Jesus' birth is about. I don't think giving your heart to people helps very much, because people can break your heart.

This song has been playing in my head all through December for some reason and that's why I HAVE to share it with you all. Its a really nice song because its so simple, and the reason for Jesus' birth is so simple too, if you care to listen. Storytime!! (haha, been babysitter for too long)

Long time ago in Bethlehem, (cue: the song!! ...so the Holy Bible Says, Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas day!!) a little boy was born to Mary and Joseph. Just a year ago, an angel visited Mary just before her marriage to Joseph, and told her that she would be with child, and no ordinary child, but one who would be the messiah, or the savior!

That night, angels visited some poor shepherds in Bethlehem and told them the good news of their saviors birth!! (cue: Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King!!). The shepherds were very, very excited, because it had long been prophesied that a messiah would come. So they asked the angels where the baby was, and then they rushed to the stable where baby Jesus was sleeping in a manger (cue: Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the Little Lord Jesus, laid down his sweet head...) and worshiped him.

Not long later, three wise men came from far off lands (some say they came from Iran) following a bright star that positioned itself above the stable where Jesus lay. They brought with them gold, frankincense, and myrrh (cue: come they told me...a rapapumpum, a new born king to see, a rapapumpum...our finest gifts we bring, a rapapumpum rapapumpum so to honor him rapapumpum when we come...)

Like the little drummer boy, none of us have large gifts to bring. What we have is our lives and how we choose to live it. We also have talents that God has blessed us with. The wise men knew the worth of Jesus' birth. Most people don't know it, unfortunately, and the commercial Christmas we have nowadays are just ploys by people to make money out of other people.

If only they knew! Then Christmas would give you warm shivers down your spine and gladness and safety that a good God looks down from heaven and is always ready to listen to and guide you.

Jesus grew up and did a lot of wonderful things (cue: it's all in the B-I-B-L-E!!!) for mankind. Mankind did not appreciate it much, though. So because some jealous priests in the temple hated him for exposing their hypocrisy, they worked the people against him. Thus, it came to be that God's own people, the Jews, and sent Jesus to death on the cross.

It must have been the devil's greatest hour. Here, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was being killed! He must have laughed with glee. But then, Jesus' death was part of God's plan. When Jesus hung on the cross, he took the sins of Adam and Eve, of you and me, he took lying tongues, murder, adultery, jealousy, pride, lust, greed and carried them on him. When he did this, he looked so ugly in God's eyes that God turned His face away from His only son.

Then Jesus died. When he died, many things happened at once, all of great significance. Lets take a look at the underworld. In hades Jesus descended, he has to go there because he possesses evil, and all evil is bound for hell. The devil laughs, he thinks that he has won.

Now lets look at earth. The sky grows dark, and hailstorms begin. In the temple, the curtain is ripped in two. This curtain for many, many years has separated the Holy of Holies (where God's presence is) from the common people. Now that Christ has taken all of man's evils, it is now possible for men to enter God's presence. (Some say that some of the Jewish priests believed in Christ when they saw the curtain rip cos they knew the prophecies).

Back to the underworld. The devil looks around him. Something is happening on earth. And what on earth is Christ doing? He has stripped off the sins of men and is wiping his hands. Sin is now in its rightful place. And Christ is getting ready to return to return to his rightful place. I bet the devil was wringing his hands now. His plans aren't quite going the way he wanted it to.

Back to earth. Christ has been dead for three days. Guards have even been placed at his tomb just in case he wakes up so that they can keep him dead. Then wolla, he appears to loads of people!! To his disciples, to the women who mourned his death.

Ok, I skipped some of the underworld bits. Well, Jesus was a man without sin. He was also God. (lets skip this theological debate) So because of that, he was able to overcome death and hades and come back to life, and not just life, but everlasting life.

And so Christ was the first one to overcome death, and that is also his gift to us. All we have to do is give our hearts to Jesus (cue: you know the deal...), believing that God loved us so much (dyou think a hating god would do that?) that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believe in Jesus shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Hmm, I've written too much. It's Christmas now. Disclaimer: The above is MY version of the Christmas story (hope you liked it, if you bothered to read it, thanks!!) and the original (and far more detailed and exciting story (extras such as the story of Abraham, Moses, Joseph etc included) (Oh, let me tell you there is loads of blood, gore, passion and betrayals in here as well) (erm, that's for those who like the stuff) is available in the B-I-B-L-E) Copies of this are available in most bookstores, and also available through your nearest Christian. I think I may be available.