Christmas Has Come and Gone

One of the strangest things to me here in our new country was the celebration, or rather lack thereof, of Christmas. Bryan and I arrived just after Thanksgiving and it seemed as if Christmas was in full swing. Lights, holiday signs, Christmas trees, even Christmas songs but as the jet lag began to wear off, I noticed something. Yes, all around us were symbols of Christmas but they were empty.

I quickly began to realize what I should've already known. We had entered a world attempting to recreate the western concept of "Christmas" complete with its commercialism, sales, beautiful lights, festivities, gifts and even songs. Here in Japan, they had all the pieces for the holiday except the one piece that holds all of it together. Christmas is seen by the rest of the world as a normal holiday without any higher purpose or holy meaning. Unfortunately, we as the west have become so wrapped up in everything that isn't Christmas and those who want to recreate American culture, have followed us to a tee.

At times I wanted to shout it from the rooftops here in Takasaki. Christmas isn't the sales or lights, it is the life of Christ. The Savior of the world descending to humanity. Other times I would be in a store or restaurant and be shocked to hear the sound of "Mary Did You Know," or "Silent Night," in English. As I walked around in the train station to songs of Christ's birth, I wanted to weep knowing that no one around me understood the songs and no one cared. The worship that was exploding in my heart and soul could not be felt by anyone as far as my eye could see. Christmas was here but at the same time, it wasn't here at all.

The irony of it all as I stated before was that everything around me "seemed" like Christmas but at the same time it was simply an illusion. As Christmas Eve approached crowds increased at the malls and individuals dressed up in Santa suits delivering packages and singing Christmas carols. Surely, they will be celebrating I thought...surely, they feel it and understand. As Christmas day came nothing closed, no one stayed home from work, everything went on business as usual....everything. No joy, no worship, no peace on Earth...just another day at the office, on the train, at the school. It was incredibly odd to me. However, I had to realize that for the Japanese it was just another day without Christ. Nothing had changed.

As we walked around the mall just last night, I observed that everything Christmas was gone. The Christmas trees, the songs, the decorations and most of the lights. All of it, gone. You see Christ has come to us, Christ is in my heart and life. He remains there... all year!  But, for many He hasn't come. There is no concept of Him, no birth and life and death. No resurrection. No reason to leave the lights or decorations out, no reason to sing O'Holy Night in the middle of January or even July.

Will you pray with me that next Christmas and the years to come until Christ returns that some will really know Christmas? That the Japanese could rejoice with other believers in the true meaning of Christmas? That the words of Silent Night would become more than just a song lyric? May Christ come!

Silent Night, Holy Night
Son of God love's pure light,
Radiant beams from thy Holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at thy birth

Beautiful Feet - Whitney