Taking something away makes the best Christmas gift
“The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy.” (Zephaniah 3:15a)
Our thoughts at this time of the year are likely focused on what gifts we can give to people. You would very likely raise some eyebrows if you were to announce to someone “This Christmas I’m going to take something away from you.”
Our verse for this week, which is a prophecy of what Jesus would do at the first Christmas, says exactly that.
Jesus came as a baby in the manger that first Christmas to grow into a man to die so he could take away that which is an oppressive weight on our shoulders — our sin and its punishment. When we understand things that way, we are glad to hear someone is taking something away from us. Think of how sin and its punishment put so much stress and trouble into our lives through a guilty conscience, unsettled heart, sleepless nights, broken families, troubled lives and the list goes on.
What a joy and relief it would be to have all those things taken away!
Much better than getting all sorts of earthly things we likely don’t really need, God gives us the wonderful Christmas gift of taking away the one thing that throws a wrench into our lives on a daily basis — the ugly effects of sin. No, that doesn’t mean life on this earth will be perfect or free from trouble. I does mean Jesus comes to give us forgiveness for all our sins and promises to strengthen and support us when we have to deal with the effects and results of sin.
This Advent hymn says it so well:
Come, O long-expected Jesus,
Born to set your people free;
From our sins and fears release us
By your death on Calvary.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope to all the earth impart,
Dear Desire of ev’ry nation,
Joy of ev’ry longing heart.
(CW 6:1)