In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.
Genesis 1:1,31
“Christmas time, mistletoe and wine
Children singing Christian rhyme
With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree
A time to rejoice in the good that we see”
Cliff Richard hit Christmas number 1 in 1988 with his classic ‘Mistletoe & Wine.’ In it he rhymes off a bunch of idyllic Christmas images.
‘The child is a king, the carolers sing’
‘dreams of santa, dreams of snow’
‘love and laughter and joy ever after’
‘a time for hating and fighting to cease’
And he rounds off the chorus with a line that I think sums up the whole song:
“A time to rejoice in the good that we see.”
It’s a song that delights in all the good things that we long for, and often see at Christmas.
We love that Christmas is a time to enjoy what is good. It’s a time to celebrate. It’s a time to eat good food with good company. It’s a time to show kindness and do good deeds. It’s often a time to try and forget all that’s wrong with our lives and the world, and set our heads and hearts on what is good.
Christmas most definitely is a good time of year. All the goodness of Christmas should cause us to reflect on where good has come from.
God is good, and He is the origin of all good. He made all things, and it was all good. There is no bad, no imperfection, no poor judgement, no sin, no taint, no brokenness in Him. All good in the world has come from God and is a reflection of Him and His goodness.
All too often though, we want the good things rather than the good One. We want to enjoy the gifts rather than the giver. It’s easy to get caught up in all that is good at Christmas, and forget to enjoy the one who is truly good.
Jesus made the world beautiful, and it was good.
Jesus made seasons, and it was good.
Jesus gives times to celebrate, and it is good.
Jesus gives friends to celebrate with, and it is good.
Every little good thing at Christmas is a gift from God to be enjoyed.
Every little good thing is an opportunity to give thanks and praise to the one who is truly good.
Christmas really is ‘a time to rejoice in the good that we see!’
Above all, Christmas is a time to remember that Jesus the ultimate good!
O Come Let Us Adore Him!
A thought to remember: Jesus made all things, and it was good.
A question to ask: In what ways can you see and be thankful for God’s goodness today?
A bit more to read: Genesis 1
A song to sing: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty