​Now that Christmas is over, it’s time to reflect, to honestly assess the events of the past few weeks and ponder them in our hearts.
 
If we’re like many Americans, when we look back on our journey of Christmas past we will see that we’ve been to the basement and attic to haul out our decorations; we will have been to Home Depot to replace those lights that were supposed to remain lit when one burned out; we will have been to the mall to buy gifts; we will have been to the mall to return them; we will have been to seemingly endless programs and concerts at schools and churches; we will have been to work parties to spend even more time with people we would rather not spend as much time with; we will have been to family gatherings; we will have been to the grocery store in preparation for family gatherings; we will have been to the therapist as a result of family gatherings.
 
But perhaps the primary question we should ask ourselves is this: Have we been to the manger? Have we taken the time to simply seek the company of the Son of God come to earth? Have we allowed ourselves to experience in our hearts what that little baby came to bring--namely, peace to those on whom His favor rests?
 
The shepherds left their flocks and cares in the field so they could kneel in amazement before the Savior of the world. The wise men took years out of their schedules to follow the star pointing them to Christ so that they could bask in the presence of the One who came to take their sins away. Even the angels left their heavenly home to be a part of the celebration on earth.
 
If you’ve not done it yet this Christmas season, it’s not too late. In fact, you may consider making it a regular part of the new year.
 
Right at the very top of your resolutions list, write: Spend regular times alone with Jesus. Block out specific afternoons, days, or weekends for spiritual renewal. And, just to be clear, this does not include time you are already spending with Him in church, in prayer, and in your Bible reading. I’m talking about times carved out for just the two of you, where you simply kneel in amazement before him and bask in His presence; where you praise Him for His promises of forgiveness of sins and life everlasting to all who believe, thank Him for all He’s done for you, draw on His strength when yours is waning, discover hope in Him when circumstances in your life appear hopeless.   
 
Spend time with your Savior this Christmas season. Commit to spending regular time with Him in the new year. Take a break from the craziness of life and simply ponder the depths of Christ's love for you. I guarantee you will discover a new peace, a new purpose, a new you.

His character is conspicuously absent in virtually every children's Christmas program. His figurine is not included in traditional nativity sets. Carols don't even make mention of him. Yet he is a central character in the Christmas story. In fact, without him there is no Christmas story.

We all know the hero in the story of Christmas: Jesus, the Son of God come to earth. But without a villain there can be no hero. We need to recognize the archenemy in the narrative of Christmas. His name is Satan, a.k.a. Beelzebub, the Devil, the Prince of Darkness, the Evil One.

We do ourselves a great disservice by ignoring the Enemy's role in the story of Jesus coming to earth. As captivating as the feel-good storyline is, what with the virgin birth, the Messiah in a feeding trough, and a sky full of angels, when we don't recognize the villain, the story of Christmas loses all dramatic impact. It's like Peter Pan without Captain Hook. The Wizard of Oz without the Wicked Witch of the West. Die Hard without Hans Gruber. Moby Dick without, well, Moby Dick.

Yes, it's true. God sent His Son to the world in the form of a baby to save us from our sins, to restore us to right relationship with Him. But we will never grasp the significance of God's generous gift to us until we identify the villain in the story and give him his due. 

We have a powerful enemy. We cannot ignore that. And he has but one objective--to keep us as far away from God as possible. He knows what God and us together can do. So he works long and hard to separate us from God, to keep us stuck in our sinful thoughts, behaviors, and addictions. He is cunning and smart. He knows everything about us--our weaknesses, our vulnerabilities, our blind spots. And that is precisely where he attacks.

The Bible warns us of the enemy's presence and offers this stern warning: Stay sober, stay alert! Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8, CJB). What a terrifying and precise word picture. We must never forget that the Devil is always on the prowl, waiting to pounce when we least suspect it; seeking to rip from our grasp God's gracious gifts of love, joy, hope, and peace and force on us his onerous offerings of fear, shame, discontent, and hate, of which he has an endless supply.

Jesus was born to set us free, to release us from our sins and fears. But that is not to say that His coming into the world and into our lives has stopped the Enemy from carrying out his dirty deeds. We will continue to do battle with Satan as long as we are on this earth. Jesus didn't come to take our adversity away. He came to help us get through it and point us to a future life with Him where there will be no trials or troubles. His words recorded in John 16 are both frightening and comforting:  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (Jn. 16:33, NLT).

We need to recognize the presence of the enemy in the Christmas story and in our lives. But we must also stand firm in the truth that as powerful and persistant as he is, he is no match for Jesus. Our battles with him continue. But, thanks be to God, the war has been won!

Hail, the heaven-born Prince of peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

The story is told of a king who offered an award to the artist whose painting best represented peace. Many artists offered their renditions of peace. The king sifted through all the paintings before selecting the two he liked best.

One depicted a tranquil lake. The water serenly mirrored the surrounding majestic mountains, azure sky, and soft clouds. Those in the king's company who saw it doubted there could be a more perfect picture of peace.

The second painting had mountains, too. But they were jagged and menacing. They were being pelted by a relentless rain. As lightning flashed in the dark clouds hovering above, a thunderous waterfall tumbled to into the murky river below. Those in the king's company could not understand why the painting was not immediately ruled out. In their estimation, it portrayed the exact opposite of peace.

But they did not see in the painting what the king saw. Behind the waterfall was a tiny bush growing in the crevice of a rock. In the bush, surrounded by the rush of angry water, was a mother bird nestled in her nest.

Seeing the two paintings side by side made the king's decision easy. He chose the second one.

Those in his company couldn't hide their shock. "Why?" they blurted out.

The king explained. "Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or turmoil. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

It is fairly easy to have a sense of peace when life is good; when we and those we love are in good health; when we have gainful employment, financial security; when things are going our way. But when storm clouds gather; when the winds of adversity blow; when we're being pelted by one crisis, disppointment, and rejection after another, our peace can dissipate in an instant.

The peace we find in this world can be fleeting. It is often based on our circumstances. But the peace God offers us is different.

Before Jesus left the earth and ascended into heaven He said, "I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid"--Jn. 14:27, NLT.  
 
The peace of God is deep, abiding, calming peace. It stands guard over our minds and hearts even in the midst of life's storms. It nudges us in the most trying times and whispers His promises: I will always love you. I will never leave you. I have a plan to prosper you, to give you hope and a future.

In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes: "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. (2:14, NLT). The angels who announced Jesus' birth said He came to bring "peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased" (Lk. 2:14, NLT).

God sent Jesus down from heaven with a gift bearing your name. It's a gift that cannot be found this side of heaven. If you haven't already, open it. Experience it for yourself. It will change your life.