A Reminder from God While Putting up the Christmas Tree Early

Have you put your Christmas tree up yet? We've actually had ours up since the end of October - know, I know, it's still early, don't judge me! We have a foreign exchange student from Vietnam living with us and we told her we would put it up with her before she goes home, so there is a method to the madness!

I was looking at our tree and I was reminded of something that God spoke to us a couple of Christmas's ago, and I thought I'd share it with you in the hope it will encourage you.

In October a couple of years ago, we had our fairy lights out for one of our children's birthday parties, and when I went to put them away afterwards, I heard that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit say, "Don't put them away, put them up."

So I told Rebecca, my wife, and we began to discern if this is what we needed to do. As we were discerning, I researched into the origins of the Christmas tree, and discovered that the tradition has existed over thousands of years from different cultures. The first records of the concept of a tree in someone's home are actually from ancient Egypt. They would bring trees into their homes on the shortest day of the year to symbolise the turning of seasons and warmth and new life returning.

Christmas trees represent hope and new beginnings, as well as the end of the winter season (at least spiritually). As we had been experiencing a long spiritual winter season in our own lives, we realised what better symbol could we put in our home as we look hopefully towards a new season! On top of this, pine trees or evergreen trees represent healing. Again if you know our journey you know how dear this meaning is to us!

As we put up the tree we pumped the Christmas carols (even in October) and we were continually reminded through the decorating of the tree and the words to the carols of the eternal hope that only Jesus gives.

I still feel that many in this time are needing that reminder of the hope that Jesus offers to each one of us. My prayer is that as we enter this festive season that you will find or return to a new and eternal Hope found in our Immanuel, and that this hope will permeate every aspect of your life right now!