Posted on by Paul N. Merideth

This Christmas: Just Believe

I am not a Grinch. I love Christmastime—it’s my favorite season of the year. In fact, I enjoy The Polar Express and its heartwarming message. All those TV holiday specials are great family fun. But I do have a complaint, and it’s about one word we see plastered everywhere this time of year: “Believe.”

You’ve seen it on ornaments, holiday cards, and even glowing in front-yard light displays. BELIEVE! It’s everywhere. Don’t get me wrong; I love the word. But I think we should handle it with a little more care.

Paul Merideth

As a Christian minister, I’m concerned that “believe” has been diluted into a vague sentiment. It’s become a shallow slogan afflicted with the Hallmarkification effect, stripped of its profound meaning and tethered to little more than seasonal cheer. We’ve orphaned the word from its theological context and expect it to carry, all naked and alone, the entire weight of our holiday hopes.

The truth is the word believe carries immense significance in the Christian faith. It is central to who we are as God’s people. And while I don’t begrudge Santa his sleigh, I must insist that “believe” belongs to something infinitely greater. So, I propose we reclaim it and carefully put it back in its nest with the rest of sacred vernacular.

Here’s why this is important. We don’t merely “believe” in an undefined ethereal spirit of winter tidings or a vague sense of holiday magic. No, we believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord—who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered for our sins at his crucifixion, died, and was buried. On the third day, He rose again. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the Father’s right hand. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. This is what we believe.

“Believe” isn’t just a word to dangle in twinkling lights or print on a mug. It’s not to be etched alone without its divine object clarified. Indeed, the object of our belief is God. It’s a cherished faith conviction that connects us to the God of the universe. Jesus Himself said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). And Paul reminds us, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

This Christmas, let’s reclaim the depth of what it means to believe. As we enjoy the holiday lights and festivities, let’s reflect on the One who gives us hope, joy, and peace—not just for a season, but for eternity. May your Christmas be filled with love, generosity, and the light of Christ. Whether through acts of kindness, a shared smile, or a helping hand, let’s each embody the good news of Jesus this season. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and pray for the Lord’s continued favor upon us all. After all, I believe in our good and gracious God.

This article was published in the Temple Daily Telegram‘s “Life & Faith” section on Saturday, December 21, 2024. Check it out on their website HERE.

Posted on by Paul N. Merideth

Faith Over Fear

I hope you all have a peaceful and joy-filled Christmas. One of the beautiful things about this time of year is the extra attention given to the blessings associated with faith. Christian faith spotlights God’s love and grace, his desire to show us favor and care. Through Christ’s redeeming work, God has taken away our deepest fears and replaced them with profound peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

I’m struck by how many times in the narratives surrounding the birth of Jesus we have to hear the reassurance: “Do not fear.” When angels show up to deliver a message, that’s the first thing they usually have to say. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

We habitually need reassurance. After all, fear so quickly creeps in when uncertain events arise. That’s the case with Joseph and Mary. And so God sent a messenger to give them reassurance. It’s true of all of us as well.

Fear debilitates. It impairs our thinking, acting, and judgment. To quote Frank Herbert in his masterpiece sci-fi novel Dune, “Fear is the mind-killer.” Fear also causes us to lash out and attack others in desperate self-preservation. Fear prompts defensiveness. It makes us rash. It makes us harsh. It makes us sin. Fear inhibits our ability to rightly respond to the good things of God. Fear puts up blinders that hinder our ability to see the beauty of God. We need less fear and more faith.

The coming of Christ separates us from our fears. The incarnation of Jesus was God’s masterstroke of breaking into a broken world with hope and rescue. In the coming of Christ and his subsequent atonement work at the cross and empty tomb, sin and fear are defeated. We boldly believe that fear will ultimately be beaten at his anticipated second coming when all things will be made new. In the Christmas season, we’re invited to both fixate on his first coming and keep watchful for his second. When he comes again in glory to receive his own, we will inhabit a new heaven and a new earth together, and all our fears will vanish.

Today’s world can be scary, and most of us find ourselves grasping for something temporal for security, whatever that may be. We live in a world where it is tough to be fear-free. But amid anxiety and insecurity, Christians have true peace and true security in the one place it has always been and can still be found.

Paul Merideth

I hope you have a Merry Christmas. Remember, we can have faith even in the face of fear because we have a heavenly father who has sent salvation through a Savior, Christ the Lord. Therefore, fear not.

  • 51st Week of 2023 Reading: PHILIPPIANS 2:15-16 “That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”
  • Prayer to God: “Lord of All, we give you thanks for your abundance and all the great things you have given us, especially the gift of Your Son. We ask your blessing upon our food, work, life’s provisions, and friends and family. We also pray that you will look kindly upon all in need with great mercy. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
  • Video Devotional Spotlight: Confidence in Christ
  • Reflections: Have you counted your blessings lately? Why not do an inventory today of all the good that God has poured into your life and cap off your review with a prayer of thanksgiving.
  • Sermon Preview: I’m finishing my sermon series on Matthew’s Gospel with a look at the crucifixion in 27:35-50. The birth scene of Jesus is humble, tender, and beautifully simple. Except for the angelic host onlooking, it was a private happening in obscurity. The death of Jesus, however, was a humiliating public spectacle. Yet, it is in the cross of Christ that we locate our Christian identity. You’re invited to come and worship with us.