Reflection

12 days of Christmas; does this time end or begin on Christmas day?

It actually begins on December 25 and ends on January 5. It symbolizes the time it took for the Magi to travel to see Jesus and when the early church believed that the Epiphany of Jesus was officially manifested to the kings. An epiphany is a sudden perception or insight into a new meaning of something. January 5, is “Epiphany,” celebrating the arrival of the Magi to see Jesus and open up a new understanding of the Messiah.

It is considered by many to be a myth that this was a coded reference to Christianity to help Christians learn and pass on the tenets of their faith while avoiding persecution. Whether it is or is not will probably remain a mystery, but it is still possible to find meaning in the 12 days of Christmas by correlating each day to a list or grouping in the Bible that could symbolize a
special aspect of the Christian faith.

Maybe there is a spiritual lesson in each:

1 Partridge in a Pear tree (Dec 25) - How about starting with Jesus on the cross (bird in a tree)? What if we use the “first day of Christmas,” which is actually December 25, when
we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and we remember that though the birth of Jesus is very significant, the death and resurrection of Jesus is even more important from a salvation
perspective?

2 Turtle Doves (Dec 26) - Maybe the Old and New Testaments? When looking at the multitude of prophecies in the Old Testament, fulfilled in the New Testament, I can increase my confidence in the whole Bible as my source of strength and direction.

3 French Hens (Dec 27) - Faith, Hope, and Love, the three spiritual virtues identified in 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. It concludes with “Now faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.” On the third day of Christmas we can focus on these three gifts, remembering that the greatest of those gifts is love.

4 Calling Birds (Dec 28) - the Four Gospels - Today we could remind ourselves that the story of Jesus is written by four different writers, all “calling out” the same story from different perspectives, and all focusing on the life of our Savior. If you want to start reading them, I think I would recommend John.

5 Golden Rings (Dec 29) The first Five Books of the Old Testament, called the “Pentateuch,” give the history of man’s fall from grace and contains the first promise of God’s plan to redeem us from sin. Adam and Eve sinned and immediately God had a plan to save us.

6 Geese a-Laying (Dec 30) God created everything in six days, culminating with an additional day called the Sabbath; a time to stop, rest, refocus, worship, and remember that God made it all and He can remake it all to the way He intended we enjoy.

7 Swans a-Swimming (Dec 31) How about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, outlined in Isaiah 11:2. They are the Spirit of: 1)Lord’s presence, 2)Wisdom, 3) understanding, 4) counsel, 5) power, 6) knowledge, 7) respect. When I realize the power & presence of the Holy Spirit in my life, it becomes an Epiphany of possibility with Him.

8 Eight Maids a-Milking (Jan 1) Maybe this could represent the eight Beatitudes, or blessings, from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. Blessed are 1) the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. The assurance as I focus on these blessings includes the promise that we will be rewarded, in God’s timing, with peace, strength, satisfaction, seeing God, and being in His presence.

9 Nine Ladies Dancing (Jan 2) Here I might reflect on the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, found in Galatians 5:22; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. The verse concludes, “There is no law against any of them,” so feel free to make them what defines you as a follower of Jesus. Imagine what could happen today if we lived our lives focusing on these qualities.

10 Ten Lords a-Leaping (Jan 3) Could represents the Ten Commandments, God’s eternally binding guidelines for living the way He always intended. They’re found in Exodus 20 in writing, but were there in principle from the very beginning.

11 Eleven Pipers Piping (Jan 4) If finding numbers and lists in the Bible is going to work as samples of what this song might represent, then here might be the 11 apostles, excluding Judas Iscariot. Eleven men with minimal training and from all walks of life just followed Jesus and had a message to share with the world.

12 Drummers Drumming (Jan 5) There is a storyline throughout the Bible centered on the Children of Israel, 12 in number, all sons of Jacob whose name was changed to Israel by
God after they wrestled and Jacob would not let Him go until He blessed him. Literal Israel as a nation, primarily in the Old Testament, became Spiritual Israel in the New, and included ALL peoples of the earth who would accept Jesus as their personal Savior.

Now, there’s an epiphany—God loves us all and we’re all His children!

Have a very blessed start to your new year,

Reflection

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