Is There Meaning in Modern Decorations?

 

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.Luke 2:18 

I didn't decorate my mantel this year with my traditional picture handed down since the early 1900's of the Wisemen following the star. Though maybe I should have with the news calling attention to the aligning of the planets and their guesses that it might be the Bethlehem star. Instead I chose a more modern mantel that I saw somewhere online. I felt guilty that maybe I was removing the true meaning of Christmas until . . . .

I gave my decorations a closer look. There was the clock my dad brought back from Germany in 1952. When he and my mom married, who knew six months later he would be drafted and sent to Germany as part of occupation forces. It was an inconvenient time for them but everything happens in God's timing even the birth of His Son. 

 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  Luke 2:6 ESV   

 

There were the deer I had kept and used since my children were small. Surrounded by evergreen candles in white and branches of green cedar mixed with prickly holly leaves with red berries. 

Okay, I understood that green is for eternal life but the rest I had to mull over for a few minutes. 

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. Psalms 42:1 ESV

The trees are always green and so are the holly leaves. The red berries are just in fall and winter. I need that reminder that even in the dead of winter, like the holly leaves, thorns crowned Jesus' head and droplets of red blood oozed out from around those thorns. Blood ran down his back, out of his hands and feet and his heart broke for us so much that He was willing to give His life's blood for our sins. 

and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Matthew 27:29 ESV

The trees were white like they were covered with snow. 

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18 ESV

 

Hadn't I wanted to keep Christ in Christmas? Perhaps unknowingly I was putting Christ in every decoration, or perhaps since Christ is omnipresent, He is everywhere I look if I am willing to see. 

I keep my willow tree angels out year-round. One holds a heart, another holds a book for wisdom, and the other is supposed to hold a garden spade but it's somewhere in a drawer. He looks like he's in anticipation of something so I still like him. Angels fit easily into the Christmas story. I can hear Linus in Charlie Brown's Christmas in my head. 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13,14. KJV

There behind the angels is a candle. I love the ambiance candles give to a room. A candle chases the dark away I've heard some say and I believe it. A candle will give us light even in the darkest night. 

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 ESV

Jesus also said we were lights. We are like a city full of lights set on a hill. It gives its light for all to see and draws people to that light. 

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14 ESV

Then I looked at the ornament I had placed under it all. It wrapped up the whole arrangement with these words. 

 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 

Luke 2:11 KJV

This Christmas may we slow down and take a closer look at our decorations and see the presence of Christ in our celebrations. 

What are you noticing around your home?

Blessings, 

Gail