Receiving the Gift at New Year's

    I find it wonderfully refreshing and appropriate that New Year’s Eve/New Year’s falls slap dab in the middle of Christmastide.  Though the world celebrates Christmas during the time before and a few days after December 25th, traditionally and liturgically, Christ followers celebrate Christmas for 12 days, with the culmination of the celebration coming on January 6th, which we celebrate as “Epiphany.”
    Though the world may believe we’re a bit odd keeping up the tree and lights so long, to remember and celebrate the birth of the Christ child takes awhile.  It takes a lot to absorb the magnitude of God living among us as the Word made flesh.  After all, the Gift that is given is THE gift that keeps on giving, and He invites us to be a people who keep on giving, thus modeling ourselves by His example.
    And yet to live in this way, to surrender ourselves to God and others takes a lot of work and much focus.  It means that we constantly have to evaluate and assess where we are, where God is, and where our lives and God’s desire for our lives intersect, THEN we have to assess how we might live into God’s desire while boldly trusting enough to follow.  Yes, Christmas is about far more than gifts given and received among our family and friends, but it is in receiving God’s gift in full, so we might then give that gift away through our lives.
    One of the traditions I grew up with for New Year’s Eve was that just after midnight the whole family would go outside with noisemakers, pots, pans, and wooden spoons, and we’d hoop and holler to our hearts content (and the neighbor’s discontent).  It was our way of “ringing in” the New Year, only I guess we really just “dinged in” the New Year.  It was an alert to the world that everything could be different!  That this was the opportunity for a new start, if one would simply take the step, embrace the change, and trust in the One who provides the opportunity in the first place.  It was a cry of celebration, but it was also an invitation for all to be a part of receiving the gift of New Year with excitement and anticipation.

    As we reflect upon Christmas, the same could be said.  God sent the Gift as a way of telling the world, “everything can be different!  This is the time for a “do over.”  With this child comes a time to take a step, embrace the change, and trust in the One who constantly gives opportunities for a new start.  Christmas is an invitation to receive the Gift, then share that Gift  with excitement and anticipation.
    If you remember the Christmas story, this is what the Shepherds heard from the Angels and proclaimed to the world – “A child is born who is Christ the Lord!”  This is what the star proclaimed to the world – “The Light of the world has come!”  This is what the Magi proclaimed to the world – “He came, even for the outsiders.”  This is what we proclaim to the world – “This baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feeding trough, exemplifies the humility and grace of the God of Creation.”  And out of these proclamation, the world proclaims to us – “Come adore and receive Christ the Lord.”

    Tonight we ring/ding in the New Year.  In doing so, we have an opportunity for a new start.  We have the chance to let go of the things that worked against us in 2010 and reach out for the gifts offered to us in 2011.  This is the day when the Gift of God that came 6 days ago, leads us into the next 6 days and beyond, always calling out and inviting, “I am here, and because I am, we can journey together with Joy, Hope, Peace, and Love as the foundation of life!”
    May we each receive the Gift of the child in a special way, that as we receive the gift of this New Year, we might receive, follow, then share that gift with the world!
Happy New Year 2010!

What is Christ offering you as you enter 2011?  How is God inviting you to receive and share?