A Devotional Thought From Mark’s Gospel

And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.     Mark 2:19

                Why is Christmas such a joyous occasion? Why does society at large make a happy holiday out of the recognition of His birth, even though it does not value the theological and moral significance? Why do even the most seriously religious among us (church attenders, Bible readers, the God intoxicated, witnesses) make the observance of Christmas into high happy days?

                The one and only answer is because the Lord has come. The true God came. The Son of God is among us, and He described Himself as a bridegroom. When the bridegroom is around you never hear people say: "We don't need all these decorations;" "Having all this food is a waste;" or, "There’s too much dancing going on around here;" or, "Laughter is unseemly;" or… or… or…

                The very presence of the bridegroom brings joy, and changes the attitudes, whatever they may be, of his guests. The presence of the bridegroom speaks of abundant celebration. It is one of the best times that the wedding couple ever have in their whole lives, and their families and friends enjoy it with them.

                The Baby ( a.k.a. a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord ) is the bridegroom. So Christians should get happy and out do the world celebration by our Christmas joy. Christmas is one of the great portions of our message of good news. Let us, as it were, run with this message, as the amazed and exuberant shepherds ran through Bethlehem being town crier’s of God’s arrival.

                May your Christmas be merrier and merrier, brighter and brighter, and truer and truer.