It is a festival for most of the people related to the birth of Christ. Most of the people who even do not know any thing about Lord Jesus Christ celebrate Christmas just for sake of some sort of celebration. Yet we need to know what Christmas is all about.

Christmas is not just a date. What a true Christian celebrates is the "Day" when Lord God fulfilled His promise that he made to "mankind" in the Garden of Eden. Man committed the sin of disobedience that resulted in "death". Yet God who loves His people gave a glittering hope to all men. The hope of salvation and the hope of eternal life. He kept reminding His people of the love and mercy through his Prophets. And when the time came, he sent His only begotten Son, born of Virgin Mary in the manger of Bethlehem. God's promised was fulfilled and the Messiah had come to free the mankind from bondage of sin and death. He came to the world so that we, who had no hope, are saved through our faith in Lord Jesus Christ. He came not to condemn but to comfort the sinners. He came to save us from the evil designs of our eternal enemy the devil.

We are living in a troubled world. During last three months we have seen the devastation of war, hunger and human miseries. The nations of the world are looking for a way out of human miseries. They are looking at man made "laws and charters" but fail to find a solution. Even if they do find it is temporary and soon the world finds itself in another misery. This is because the nations seek their own wisdom and not the Wisdom of God as revealed through His own Word, the Holy Bible. They look towards men and not Son of God for peace and order in the world.

Christmas is not "a date" to be celebrated it is "a day" to be celebrated as a day of "thanks giving". "For God so love the world that he gave His only-begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life". (John 3:16) We the people of Pakistan call it "Barha Din" or the "Greatest Day" because this is the day (what ever the date may be) when the Love of God, and the Divine Light brought us out of darkness and bondage of sin and now we stand "justified" to enter into His kingdom. Yet there are many who either do not know the "truth" or don't want to now the "truth". For many, Christmas is only outward joy or expression. It is sending gifts and greeting cards. The outward expression also very important as this stands as witness to the world that the Savior has come, yet we have a responsibility to let our fellow men who are still wandering in wilderness of uncertainty know that Our Lord has not forgotten them. He calls them to come to Him. Have faith in Him and share the Heavenly Kingdom with Him. May the Lord bless you all. Amen