The Tree

This is a story I wrote for the Christmas season. Although it is not true, I did build off from some true life events.

Time—12:47a.m. I listened intently. All was quiet except for my parents' and brothers' gentle breathing. Good. I wrapped my blanket tightly around me, and tiptoed in my soft, fuzzy socks to the living room. Our fragrant, Balsam-Fir Christmas tree stood erect near the window. Bright, white Christmas lights encircled its branches. I curled up in the lazy-boy chair next to the tree. As I gazed out the window, the cold, pure-white snow glistened in the street lights. Alone in the room with a Christmas tree as company, I thought of the verse, "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10a) Still. As an American, I have very few still moments. Usually I am busy jumping from one thing to the next, and noise continually sounds around me. That's why I treasure times like this. When I'm quietly sitting alone with God...and our Christmas tree. I love Christmas trees. They always remind me that the baby Jesus came to earth for a single purpose: to deliver his people from their sins. He came to die. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." (I Peter 2:24) But why is it so important that Jesus Christ die on a tree? It is because in Galatians it says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written,'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree'—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." So this year as I gather with my family around the Christmas tree, I'm going to keep in mind the reason that the Son of God came to earth. Thank Him. And spread the joy inside me this Christmas season.