¹ I will sing of the LORD’s great love for ever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

² I will declare that your love stands firm for ever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

³You said, I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant,

⁴ ‘I will establish your line for ever and make your throne firm through all generations.’

 Psalm 89: 1-4 (NIV)

We very rarely associate Christmas with longevity. Christmas is a fleeting thing. It’s something we look forward to every year but it’s over very quickly. That’s why lots of our Christmas songs say ‘I wish it could be Christmas every day’ – precisely because it isn’t.

Having said that, we do celebrate it every year. None of us, even in our secular society, can imagine a time when we won’t celebrate Christmas any longer. The date is a fixture in our calendars. What will I be doing on 25th December 2025? I’ll be celebrating Christmas!

Even more of a ‘fixture’ is God’s love for us and his faithfulness to all generations. Mary speaks of this in her song of praise when she meets Elizabeth:

 He protects Israel, his servant, *

 remembering his mercy,

 the mercy promised to our fathers, *

 to Abraham and his sons for ever.

Our celebrations of Christmas might not last forever but what we celebrate at Christmas will – that love came down at Christmas, a love to last through all generations.

This is expressed by Christina Rossetti in her carol:

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.