STILL CHRISTMAS? I know what you’re thinking. “It’s Jan 2; we’re well into another New Year; my tree’s been out by the road for a week now; why is Derek Maul still going on about Christmas?”

I’ll give you partial credit for asking a fairly good question. But that’s about all! That long stretch of time leading up to December 25 was “Advent.” Now it’s Christmas, and there are – officially – 12 days. Today is only Day Nine.

I’ll even make bold to say that the only reason Christmas could possibly sound like an odd concept on January 2 is because neither Advent nor the birth of Jesus tend to be approached the right way to begin with!

Fess up, people; I know that some of threw your trees out and started tearing down lights before the turkey was cold enough to make sandwiches. Am I right? Of course I am. You know who you are.

MISUNDERSTANDING! But Christmas is widely – and sadly – misunderstood, and in consequence it’s not surprising that the central truth is so often thrown out in the trash along with our collection of artificial, short-lived, and pre-packaged distractions; you know, the stuff we use as a substitute for following the star and falling on our knees before the Prince of Peace.

When we build our celebrations around the unprecedented wonder of God breaking into time and space as a newborn infant, and when we use the occasion of Christ’s birth to rededicate ourselves to light and life, then it’s a lot easier to pause on the 9th Day of Christmas and thank God for the guiding light that can steer us on the right path as we negotiate the beginnings of 2014.

So leave some of the lights up. Keep some of the decorations. Celebrate Jesus and the light that he promises to bring to this New Year.

It’s only the Ninth Day of Christmas! – DEREK