In modern day thinking we have made truth relative to our circumstances and desires. As Christmas approaches you may hear or get asked the question "What does Christmas mean to you?" Would your answer be based on your circumstances and desires or the facts?

Your past experiences of the Christmas season will give you memories, feelings and hopes that will determine how you feel about this coming Christmas. They may be experiences of joy and peace, drunken parties and the like, or loneliness, fear and sadness. Christmas may be something you look forward to or dread the thought of. It could be a time when you have plenty of family around but wish you didn't or a time when you spend money you can't afford. It could be a time when you enjoy spending money on gifts for the family or simply wish you had money or family.

All these dynamics come into play centered on our experiences, our expectations and the ever-present commercial drive around us. The sad part about this is simply that in our efforts to enjoy or get through the Christmas season, we are prone to neglect the truth about Christmas.

You may be tempted to think this is some religious junk. Nothing is further from the truth. Christmas is about "Emmanuel" which means "God with us". The essence of Christmas is not religion, parties, families, gifts or spending money, although all may be quite legitimately involved, the true essence is about God coming to mankind so that He could be with us and have a relationship with us.

We can do something religious like go to a church service, yet still miss the point. It's not about religion it's about relationship. To understand the full meaning of Jesus's birth, you have to put it into the context of his death at Easter. He was born for the purpose of dying in our place on the cross for the cost of our wrongdoing. The point of his birth, life and death was so we could have a relationship with him now and on into eternity after we pass from this life.

Some people ask, "What's the point of life?" The point of life is for the purpose of relationship with God. Have you got the point yet?

Ray Burton attends Celebration Christian Fellowship in Havelock North New Zealand and enjoys writing, counselling and evangelism. He has recently started a website http://www.valleyministriesnz.org where more of his work can be found.