By LARRY P. STOVER | Praise Park Ministries Church of the Nazarene

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. The sights, sounds, aromas and traditions make it the most festive time of the year.

We have survived shopping this weekend. Some of us are gloating about the awesome deals we discovered or those one of a kind specials that fell into our lap.

Personally, I stopped going out in to the bedlam of “Black Friday” years ago. I prefer the quietness of shopping at the small local stores of the area or making purchases online.

I rode through a once bustling “small shop” commercial district of Montgomery this past Friday. There was not one store open.

Our world is changing. It was sad. Our “Millennial Generation” is fast moving toward the Internet. Imagine a world without Walmart.

My real joy of the Christmas season is the many traditions that abound.

One of my favorites is celebrating the four Sundays of Advent prior to Christmas Day. Many churches will be lighting their first Advent candle this Sunday signifying the preparation necessary to once again herald the coming of the Messiah.

That first candle is usually referred to as the “Prophecy Candle” or the “Candle of Hope.”

Isaiah, chapter nine, gives a picture of this hope: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned … For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.

“He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

“The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 6:2, 6-7)

What an awesome description of the coming of the Messiah, The Anointed One, who would come and deliver his people from tyranny, oppressiveness, and physical afflictions, giving them the ability and power to find deliverance from their sins and stop their erroneous way of living.

Things have not changed in 2015. Christmas should not just center on the glitter and glitz of the season, it should give preeminence to the birth of the Savior of the world.

As we prepare once again for this celebration, I encourage families everywhere to take time to share together the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus in both the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, It never gets old.

In an era of hopelessness it gives a hope beyond anything imaginable to think what a relationship with Jesus Christ can do for any individual who will follow the “star” back to Bethlehem and discover the difference Jesus Christ can make in their life.

Discovering that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” will make life “Simply Beautiful” this Advent season.