A friend of mind posted on his facebook page this morning that he was feeling a headache, fatigue, body aches, and nausea – in reality a hangover from Christmas. That is not the kind of hangover we want but we all should have a hangover from Christmas. Regardless of the glitz and the commercialism, in most cases the season brings out the best in people. Folks tend to extend grace and expressions of love more freely this time of year. The reason is an emulation of God’s gift of His Son to us, John 3:16, John 16:13, 1 John 4:9..
Our hangover from Christmas should be that we exhibit that love toward each other 24/7/365. That is the reasonable response to His Gift. We can only do that because He first loved us. Spend some time reflecting on this with your kids. Ask them what is different about people during this time of year and why they thing that is. Then read through the above verses as well as 1 John 4:7 – 21. It is a great time to emphasize that for them and for us.
Why have a "hangover"?...the key is to continue sipping, but slowly,(since far more powerful than usual spirits). Traditionally 12 days until Epiphany are required to assimilate, take in, and internalize that, which is by all accounts, unfathomable....the notion that an infinite God sent the Son born of a virgin, a God-man into this world to save it. No, if attempts are made to consume "the Spirit" in a 24 hour gulp, a nasty, dulling hangover invariably occurs.
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