The Good Life of Christmas
“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1–2, ESV)
The Good Life, Hallmark Version
One of the things my girls love to do during the holidays is watch Hallmark movies. One of the things my dad and I love to do is make fun of those Hallmark movies, which is followed by much eye rolling and groaning. It’s a wonderful time.
As I have watched numerous Hallmark movies, I have recognized that they are working hard to paint a picture of “the good life.” That’s why people call these movies “feel good movies.” These movies “feel good” because they present the story of a life that many would consider “the good life,” the life they want to live.
So, what does Hallmark’s “good life” look like? Most often, it looks like falling in love with some stranger you didn’t expect to love. You slowly fall in love with them through a series of seemingly unfortunate circumstances that result in you having to spend a lot of time together. The movie ends with these two love birds “together,” everyone else looking at them smiling with joy—as snowflakes drift down and they sip on their hot cocoa.
Everyone watching the movie, joins the crowd, deep down inside saying, “Ahhhh. I want that too!” They want it because they want the good life.
The Biblical Good Life
Scripture paints a picture of the good life. It looks a little different than the picture painted by Hallmark. However, it does not exclude the Hallmark picture. That’s why Hallmark movies resonate with people. Their version of “the good life” has some truth in it. It’s just not the whole truth. It’s a superficial version of the good life.
In scripture, the good life is the blessed life. This is the life God has created us to live in this world—a life where God’s pours out blessings upon our head. So, whenever you read through scripture and find the phrase, “Blessed is the one…”, you can immediately input the phrase, “The good life is…” as a way of re-centering your view of the good life. As you make that substitution, you will get a picture of “the good life” that is much deeper than the picture painted in Hallmark movies.
The Foundation of the Good Life
At the core of the Blessed Life—The Good Life—is the forgiveness of sins. In our passage David begins by saying, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1). The Good Life is the one where sins are covered and misdeeds are forgiven. Apart from this reality, there is no Good Life. You cannot live The Good Life living contrary to the life God has created you to live. That doesn’t even make sense. You cannot live The Good Life walking around with a load of guilt and shame upon your shoulders. You cannot live The Good Life while in rebellion against God. The Good Life begins with your misdeeds being forgiven and your sins being covered and your right relationship with God being restored.
The Good Life of Christmas
As I have repeatedly said throughout the Christmas season, this is why Jesus was born. He was given the name Jesus “for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21, ESV). Christmas is about Jesus being born into the world to save us from our sins, to forgive our misdeeds, and to cleanse us. Christmas is about how Jesus has made a way for us to live The Good Life.