I love the food that Christmastime brings. Lots of home cooking and lots of desserts! Did you know that the word stressed is desserts spelled backwards? That can’t just be a coincidence. It just be divine! You’re welcome. One of my favorite Christmas desserts is strawberry pie. I remember my aunt making a strawberry pie every year for Christmas Eve and I could hardly wait to eat a couple pieces of it! However, the most memorable strawberry pie was not good at all. One year, I was the first to get a piece of it, and I gathered a heaping helping on my fork and shoved it in my mouth, waiting for the sugary sensation to overwhelm my taste buds. But something was wrong…way wrong! My aunt accidentally used a cup of salt instead of a cup of sugar in the recipe. Yuck! The ingredient that made the strawberry pie irresistible was replaced with something that made it horrible!

If you replace Jesus with anything else at Christmas you can be sure that it will not be Christmas. You might have a good time with family, receive a lot of gifts, and even celebrate with parties and decorations, but it won’t be Christmas. If you take out the ingredient of Jesus that makes Christmas what it is, it isn’t Christmas any more. After all, the first six letters in Christmas are Christ! Any substitution of the main ingredient of Christmas ruins Christmas. If Jesus is missing, what are you celebrating? If He isn’t central, why are you gathered? If He’s not the main ingredient, can you really call it Christmas?

Questions: Have you substituted Jesus with something less desirable? Have other ingredients this Christmas left your spiritual appetite unfulfilled?

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stephenrharrison

Stephen and his wife Haley have called Arkansas home all of their lives. Stephen has served in several ministry roles over the last 25 years and as a lead pastor for the last 8 years. Stephen attended Williams Baptist College and earned a BA in Biblical Studies from Ouachita Baptist University, an MA, MDiv, and DMin in Christian Leadership and Pastoral Ministries from Liberty University. When not pastoring, Stephen enjoys running, cycling, reading, writing, camping, fishing, and spending time with his family.