Christmas in July

by Annie Yorty

Christmas in July

As a lover of all things Christmas, I’ve sometimes allowed the hoopla of holiday symbols and traditions to eclipse Jesus–the star of the season. Can anyone relate?

Before we renounce our beloved traditions, let’s remember how Jesus pointed to everyday symbols such as bread, doors, vines, and harvests to illustrate spiritual truths.

This practice inspired me to write my upcoming devotional, Find Jesus in 25 Symbols of Christmas. Each daily devotion in the book highlights a symbol or tradition to redirect our attention and adoration to the One whose birth we celebrate.

For Christmas in July, I’m sharing a bonus devotion about the tradition of holiday baking. I hope you enjoy this taste (pun intended) of my devotional and, more importantly, Jesus.

Cookie Baking: A Pleasing Aroma

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. (Ephesians 5:2 NLT)

Every year at Christmas, I invite friends to my kitchen for a Christmas baking bonanza. We all contribute ingredients and our favorite recipes. As the day progresses, sweet warmth wafts into every nook and cranny of the house and tantalizes the olfactory senses of would-be cookie snatchers. One by one, they sneak into the dining room where we pile the buttery confections on cooling racks.

“Don’t you need an official taste tester?”

“Look, that one got smooshed. Maybe I should eat it now.”

“Mom, I can’t wait until later!”

Of course, my friends and I relent. Who can resist the fragrance of fresh-baked cookies?

What’s your favorite Christmas cookie? My mouth waters for the classic drop cookies such as chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin. But there’s nothing like rolled and cut-out sugar cookies that take on the shapes of our favorite symbols of Christmas. When decorated, they’re almost too pretty to eat.

The Sacrifice of Jesus

In “Above All,” songwriters Paul Baloche and Lenny Leblanc compare Jesus to “a rose trampled on the ground.” Have you ever crushed a rose petal? The injury releases an intense, unmistakable perfume. In the same way, Jesus’ compassionate love and sacrifice on the cross released a fragrance that delighted God.

We may find it difficult to comprehend how God the Father could delight in His beloved Son’s death.

God knew the rest of the story. He foresaw Jesus—trampled underfoot by the ones He came to save—raising to life, conquering sin and death. He rejoiced in each sin-weary soul who would come to Jesus for salvation made possible by the blood He shed on the cross.

The pleasing aroma of Jesus drifted heavenward and reminded God that Jesus’ death fulfilled His redemptive plan for all people. You and I would one day be forgiven and free. We would belong to Him forever. His Spirit would cleanse and empower us from within. He knew our new life in Christ would produce the lovely fragrance of His Son in us.

So God inhaled and was pleased to allow His precious Son to die.

Apostle Paul reminds us that those who have new life in Christ should exude the fragrance of Jesus.

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16a NLT)

The smell of fresh-baked cookies tickled the nostrils of my family and drew them to investigate the source. In the same way, we want our scent to entice people to come to Jesus.

To give off the scent of Jesus, we must obediently humble ourselves. When we offer all we have—our time, treasure, and talents—to God, we may sometimes endure a trampling. But we can be confident the sacrifice and pain will release an unmistakable fragrance that awakens a hunger in others to partake of God’s goodness.

What scents permeate your home at Christmas? Do you enjoy the sweet and cozy warmth of sugar cookies, gingerbread, vanilla, and spiced fruit? Or do you prefer the smell of the savory dishes prepared for your holiday gathering?

Whenever the fragrance of Christmas tickles our noses this season, let’s inhale and remember the sweet aroma of Jesus’ love and salvation with gratitude in our hearts. At the same time, let’s emanate the aroma of Jesus to our loved ones, coworkers, and strangers so they may come and taste His love and salvation.

How does your life exude the pleasing fragrance of Jesus?

Let’s pray:

Father, I’m moved to worship when I consider Your extreme love and sacrifice for me. Thank You for including me in Your plan of redemption. Please help me to rejoice when I feel trampled because I know hardships produce the intense, unmistakable aroma of Jesus that is pleasing to You. Amen.

Will you celebrate Christmas in July?

I hope you enjoyed this taste of Christmas in July. Why not crank up the air conditioning and turn on the oven to make some Christmas cookies this month? Share your confections, along with a cup of tea (maybe iced), with friends. Don’t forget to tell them about the sweet aroma of Jesus’ love and sacrifice.

I welcome your comments.

Copyright ©2024 Annie Yorty