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Every day this Advent we will be sharing reflections from Christian authors. Today's is by David Hamshire.
Togetherness at Christmas
Statistically, Christmas is a time when the seeds of divorce and family break-ups are most prominent. So how can we experience togetherness which will help us to retain the importance of friends and family?
At a time when many are experiencing loneliness, spending time with others can be therapeutic – so long as the stresses of expectation are not overdone. The downside, of course, is that we may miss the importance of what Christmas is meant to be for – to remember the birth of God’s Son. What is confusing is that most agree that Jesus was not born at Christmas! So how can the birth of the world’s Saviour assist in our coming together?
A helpful place to begin is to consider when it was that Jesus may have been born, for this can help us in our understanding of His birth and what it was that Jesus came to do; to bring God into our lives.
According to the Hebrew Scriptures, there are seven periods of time which are referred to as ‘Appointed Times’, the first being Passover, the time when Jesus died. These ‘Appointed Times’ have been referred to as: “Moments in time when the eternal, spiritual world, can be glimpsed.”
According Psalm 2:7, a day in time for Jesus’ birth was fixed long before He was born. Here it states: “You are my Son, today I became Your Father.” It is a phrase which is quoted twice in the New Testament book of Hebrews. And so, when was Jesus born, and can the timing of His birth assist us?
There is a day in the Hebrew year which states when it was that the Jewish High Priest entered the Holy-of-Holies in the Tabernacle (or Temple) in order to spend time with God. It was where and when God came down to spend time with His representative. The day set-aside for this joint encounter is known as the Day of Atonement, and it is a most Holy Day. Theologically, it is the only day in the Hebrew calendar which is appropriate for Jesus’ birth – the day when Jesus repeated what His Father had done by arriving on the same day, but this time in human flesh.
Today, Christmas has become anything other than a Holy Day, and this is reflected in a materialistic world that is far removed from what happened in Bethlehem.
Therefore, how can togetherness (at Christmas) be achieved? First, it is our preparedness to accept that the Hebrew Scriptures – the Scriptures that Jesus referred to when speaking about Himself – must be central when we consider the birth of Jesus. Next, whenever it is that we choose to recall His birth, Jesus represents a holy God, and we are required to be holy as He is Holy (Leviticus 11:44).
Perhaps then, and only then, with Jesus as our focus, we will be able to enjoy our togetherness in ways that previously we may not have experienced.
Hebrew Foundations of the Christian Faith -
David’s book, ‘Hebrew Foundations of the Christian Faith’ may be of help for those who would like to explore their Hebrew roots.
