Christmas isn’t a desperate search for hope in the hype.  It’s a joyous celebration of the certain hope we have in Jesus.  As we head into the holiday, I pray we can all keep that simple truth in the center of our hearts.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the desperate search for hope that plagues our culture this time of year.  Stress, crazy family and an extra drink at the end of the night just seem to be part of the holiday equation for so many of us.  Add into that the search for perfect gifts, delicious meals, immaculate homes and non-materialistic kids.  No wonder we’re exhausted.  And disappointed.  There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of it.  But they’ll never be able to hold the weight of our hopes.

All the good things we enjoy this time of year are designed to point us to the One from whom all good things flow.  Christmas is simple.  Jesus was born that we might have life.  He left the glory of heaven for the indignity of a feeding trough so that we would know our God is not repulsed by the messes of our life.  The angels sang. The shepherds worshipped.  Mary pondered.  And all of history was forever changed.

The Child of Christmas would go on to live a perfect life.  He showed us all how it’s meant to be done.  And then, knowing that we could never do it on our own, He died in our place that all of our sins could be forgiven.  He killed death by dying on a cross and ushered in unfathomable hope through an empty tomb.

He’s the One our souls need.  He’s the One we were made to know.

Don’t let the hype blind you to the Christ.  Rejoice, oh weary world.  Your Savior has come.  His name is Jesus.  And He’s all you need for a Merry Christmas.