It’s that time of the year.  As I’m getting ready to go to the mall, I asking myself, “Why Christmas?”

Christmas is no longer Christ-centered.  Rather, it is now human-centered.  It’s what in it for me.  You know, the gifts, the money I can make and so on.

The Christ-Child has been replaced.

Our carols and Christmas songs are simply bland and mostly meaningless.

We simply sing along, without pay any attention to the reason behind Christmas.

But we must redeem Christmas.  We must make it Christ-centered once again.  We must pay attention to what we sing.  We must honor Christ in our singing, in our gift-given, and in all we do.

Below are a few steps to help you redeem this Christmas and every other one from now on:

1. Pray.  Ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle your love for Jesus and to make him the sole focus of all you do this Christ.

2. Read and Meditate.  Read Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth over and over again (Luke 2:8-20).  Refresh your mind and heart with the wonders of this great narrative of Scripture, preserved for us by the Holy Spirit.  Meditate on the passage.  Let the Holy Spirit be your guide and tutor.

3. Commune.  I believe Christmas day, when we celebrate the birth of the Christ, is a perfect time to feed on his body and blood, through the consecrated elements of the bread and the cup.  It is a perfect time to receive the grace and blessings of God through Communion.

4. Share. Be Christlike this Christmas.  Share.  Yes, do something for someone in need.  Find out how you can bless someone this Christmas, perhaps at your workplace, in your neighborhood, or even at the store or the mall.

Yes, I believe we can redeem the spirit of Christmas and join the heavenly host and truly praise God and say,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those

with whom he is pleased.” (Luke 2:14 ESV)