A WORD FOR TODAY, December 19, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, December 19, 2025
“One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:5-9, WEB
Today is the last day of school for many schools in our area. The children are excited about the extended vacation and the fun of the holidays. Many classrooms are celebrating with parties. Teacher’s desks are filled with gifts. In the last few days, teachers have asked students about their plan for the holidays, traditions that they follow, and other things that make their family unique. They use these questions for writing or art projects, so while it is fun to look forward to Christmas, they are also learning during the activities.
Christ is the reason for the season, and the world waits expectantly through Advent for the coming of the King. Traditions make families and cultures unique. Every country has its own Christmas traditions. It is fun and amazing to see the different traditions from around the world, to see the ways in which other people celebrate the coming of the Savior. In every country, people are preparing for their feasts and festivals, decorating and baking, shopping and wrapping gifts to give. Every culture presents the Gospel in a way that helps believers remember and non-believers hear the story of Jesus including pageants and programs with children, musicians, and others participating. I’ve written about many of these traditions in the past.
Some traditions are secular, such as the Santa Claus type figure that is found in almost every culture. Other traditions focus on the religious aspects of the season. Some places celebrate Christ’s birth on different days. Other places commemorate different aspects of the Christian story. Each custom has special meaning for those who practice it year after year. Are they necessary? No, they are certainly not necessary for the salvation of God’s people. Yet, when these traditions are given to God, they do well to draw us closer to Him and help us to grow in faith and live in hope in this world.
Christ will come whether we count down the days to Christmas or not. Christ will come in His glory whether we are hearing His story or not. God will save us despite the pathetic effort we make to do His will in this world. Many of the traditions of our past, culture, and family help us to keep our hearts and minds in what truly matters in this life: our faith in God and our hope in His promises. What matters most is that the traditions we keep and the days we celebrate point to the One who is our Savior. Do we live for the Lord and glorify Him in all we do?
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org.