What is Christmas? – Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute for December14, 2022

2 Corinthians 1:3,  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

The Christmas holiday is a wonderful time of the year.

It is also a time of challenge for many. We remember loved ones who are not with us this year. We may have experienced changes in our family such as children growing up and moving away. Some may spend Christmas day alone. Some may be concerned about how they going to pay for Christmas gifts or not be on the receiving end of gifts.

All of this is a matter of perspective. The old cliché is still true, "Jesus is the reason for the season."

In our text, the Apostle Paul wrote about our Heavenly Father is a God of compassion and comfort. The word comfort is mentioned four times in these two verses. The idea is not about being comfortable as sitting in an easy chair or on a sofa.

The word comfort here is best defined as: 
A calling to one’s side, encouragement, consolation, that which affords refreshment.

What the Lord wants to do for you is come to your side, encourage, console, and refresh you. Then Paul wrote: "So that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

Christmas is first a time of receiving, not only gifts from people, but compassion and comfort, or help, from the Lord. This is why Jesus came. He is God's gift to humanity.

Christmas is also a time of giving, not of just material things, but of the things that money cannot buy. As the angels said to the shepherds in the field on the night Jesus was born, 

The Gospel of Luke 11:10 reads,  “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem...13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

That is the perspective we want to have.

God bless, have a great day, and be encouraged!