Catherine Brown looks at the real meaning of Christmas

Catherine Brown

With 'the Big Day' - 25th December - looming ever nearer, the countdown to Christmas continues with frenetic activity. Whilst most of us hum along to "White Christmas" hoping for a soft flurry of snow, in reality what we often experience is the frantic flurry of card writing and present wrapping. That being said I enjoy listening to Christmas pop hits old and new and I like to sing along to 70's classics such as "I wish it could be Christmas Every Day" and "Merry Christmas Everybody". However, the prospect of actually having Christmas every day makes my head throb and my heart miss a beat when considering the potentially devastating effects a 24-7 yuletide might have on both my wallet and my waistline! Thankfully, there is much more to Christmas than commercialism. The 'boy child' that is sung about by choirs and pop bands alike is truly the only Reason for the Season.

I work as a volunteer in a local all-male prison and each week I go along to share the love of Jesus with the men who come to our little chapel services. Just like the presents people exchange at Christmas time, they come in all shapes and sizes, wrapped up in all manner of outer coverings. For the men this is often self-loathing for the crimes they have committed and the pain of rejection and worthlessness that accompanies such a lifestyle. Only God can see beyond the outward appearance to the heart of man, and only the child in the manger can heal the brokenness or loneliness in each one of us.

Week by week, my colleagues and I share the love of God with our small group of ragamuffin listeners believing that the power of God's love will breakthrough all their circumstances and life challenges. Some come to us still fighting the effects of detox from drugs with shakes and sickness; others come with glazed over eyes - the consequence of a methadone prescription recently administered, whilst yet others enter the simple hall free from drugs and alcohol with expectancy and the first glimpses of hope etched across their faces. Christmas is a time when believers and non-believers unite to sing about the Prince of Peace who loves the world with an everlasting Love. How He longs for opportunities to be received by all mankind as the Gift his Father intended him to be!

This week we gathered as usual to sing a few songs before looking at God's word. One of the prisoners asked in a somewhat mischievous manner if we could sing Away in a Manger and without any further prompt our guitarist struck the first cords and we started to sing. Well do you know something magical happened in that moment! I looked up and every single person in the room including the officer in charge was completely enthralled in singing about the child in the manger. It was a touching moment as we joined together to sing "I love you Lord Jesus, look down from the sky and stay by my side until morning is nigh". Faith as tangible as the breath in our lungs flooded the room and the reality of the Father's love gift to us in Christ filled our hearts with fresh hope and happiness.

Perhaps singing might be described as a language capable of expressing many types of emotion. In this case it was full of joy and released the sound of heaven and the sweetness of our Heavenly Father's love to us and through us.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, had been greatly troubled when the angel Gabriel first appeared to her with news about the Christ child but she swiftly changed her tune and sang, "My soul glorifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour." Luke 1:46, 47 Mary responded personally and with her whole being to the Lord. Her desire was to glorify God and magnify his name. Magnify means 'to make great'. As we share God's love and the good news of the Gospel with others we lift up and make great the name of the Lord Jesus.

Mary rejoiced in God's love for her and responded with purpose and enthusiastic faith surrendering to God's perfect plan for her life even when she didn't fully understand it. Mary realised her need for a Saviour and so must we. The boy in the manger who hung as the God-Man on the Cross gave his life for us so that we might be freed from sin and sickness; This Christmas as you contemplate opening your presents, why not also open your heart to the love of the greatest Giver of all - Jesus Christ?

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head

The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'Till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there