I’ve Got Spirit! How ’bout You?
The title hearkens back to my high school pep rallies. There was a competition between grades to see who could get louder in response to: “We’ve got spirit; Yes, we do; We’ve got spirit; How ’bout you?” I wonder if they still do that? Well, today I’m thinking along the lines of holiday spirit–Christmas spirit. You hear it talked about a lot this time of year, but what exactly do we mean? I believe that in a general sense we all know it is akin to being joyful, kind, generous and all around merry. It means enjoying the celebrations and traditions of the Christmas season. I looked it up to see if this is correct. One definition I see is that it is a feeling of goodwill, benevolence, and a willingness to enjoy oneself during the Christmas season. I’d say that’s pretty close. But let’s be honest. Some people have every earthly reason to not really be in the holiday spirit–loss of loved ones, scary health issues, financial hardships, troubled relationships, and the list goes on. I’m going to suggest that the spirit of Christmas should be something much deeper and foundational in our lives. It should be something that circumstances will not hinder. True Christmas spirit should be the Holy Spirit.
I’ve been thinking about this after reading through Luke’s account of the Christmas story the other day. In Luke 1 we read about a pregnant Mary visiting her relative Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist and Mary’s great response to the reaction of this meeting and the reality of the miracle that was taking place. Luke 1:46-55 is sometimes referred to as Mary’s Magnificat (Latin referring to “My soul magnifies the Lord”). What jumped out at me in this reading were her words, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior”. Notice the word “spirit”. That, my friends, is true Christmas spirit. Just as Mary rejoiced in the realization of this incredible gift to mankind–Jesus Christ, God’s Son–we should be rejoicing. This spirit of wonder, gratitude and intrigue should supersede any hardships this life may afford. Certainly, Mary had some tough stuff going on. She was pregnant before she got married. There must have been all kinds of rumors going on. She was young and unprepared for what happens when you are with child. She was trying to navigate a new marriage in the midst of this chaos. I’m sure there were countless other difficulties that we can not even imagine. But Mary knew one thing: God was sending his Son to earth and His arrival would usher in a new kind of kingdom. He would become the Savior the world needed. And her spirit rejoiced. I’m positive that she had tough moments and down times, but she still experienced hope and joy because of this spirit.
When I was looking up the meaning of Christmas spirit there was another explanation that I didn’t mention earlier. I found it when I searched “true Christmas spirit”, which must mean that some definitions are not true. It read that true Christmas spirit should be a reflection of the love and selflessness taught by the Savior. In order to experience that kind of spirit, we need to have a relationship with that baby in a manger who grew to become the crucified and risen Savior of the world. When we begin a relationship with Jesus, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Emmanuel–God with us–dwells in us. As we continue growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ, we become more and more aware of this gift and it truly lasts all year round–not just during the Christmas season.
Dear Reader, if you are skimming through this post and wondering what on earth I am talking (writing) about, or if you are curious about this relationship with Jesus to which I am referring, please know how thrilled and honored I would be to share more about this loving God who actually became a man so that He could reach us and save us from a fallen world. You can email me at laurie@cleftdwellerblog.com or reach me through this website.
I urge all of us to look past the worries and distractions of this life to see the big picture with eternity in mind. I sincerely wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas and I pray that your spirit will rejoice in the truth of the One who is over it all. I’ve got The Holy Spirit. How ’bout you?
