Driving home from church a few years ago, I noticed a Christmas tree out on the curb, stripped and bare. Though it was only early afternoon on December 25, some family’s holiday was already over.
For many, by the time Christmas dawns, the holiday has served its purpose and there is no longer a need to celebrate. But for the church, Christmas has traditionally lasted 12 full days, starting on December 25. Perhaps it takes us that long to take in the incredible reality of what has happened for us. The gift of God’s own presence has come into our lives. This gift is so grand that most of us will need much longer than 12 days to receive it. It may take us a lifetime.
This message was adapted from “Devotions for the 12 Days of Christmas” by Lois Pallmeyer that appeared in the December 1997 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.Today is the Nativity of our Lord or Christmas Day.
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