Christmas Spirit

Joel 2:28

God’s Spirit Poured Out

Then afterward

I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your old men shall dream dreams,

and your young men shall see visions.

I met with some colleagues today, a wonderfully supportive group who have been meeting together for some time. We met in a local visitor centre coffee shop surrounded by Christmas decor. Santa even made an appearance.

In the midst of this winter wonderland, we were discussing the Spirit of Christmas, asking: What is it? And when and how does it arrive?

I described the years when I'd been concerned that it wasn't actually going to reach me, this seasonal accessory but, somehow, there was a point in the Christmas Watchnight service where God stepped in, bringing warmth and joy.

If Christmas Spirit is to be in any way meaningful, it must become more than an accompaniment to the season. It must affect the way we care for one another, the way we reach out to others, it must involve fulfilling the Jesus manifesto - bringing good news to the poor, sight to the blind, release for the captive, 

We celebrate the birth of a baby who came into the world over 2000 years ago. Surely God with us should make a difference all the time, not just at Christmas.

We may wait in vain for some Christmas Spirit - but God's Spirit is upon us. Our call is to make a difference by letting that Spirit infect us and affect all that we do - at Chrismas time and all the year round.