Tell me if this sounds familiar to you. As Christmas approaches
these are the things I have been focused on: 1) Decorating the
house (check). 2) Christmas Cards (not done yet, not optimistic).
3) Preparations for the arrival of family on Monday (house is
cleaned but 3yr. old and 1yr. old likely to inflict extensive damage
before Monday, things not looking good). 4) Purchasing gifts
(check, started early this year). 5. Food: how much, what, etc…
(we are completely out of milk at the moment, enough said).
For many of us, the Christmas season has become one long, stressful,
checklist. We have family to greet, meals to cook, presents to buy,
traditions to uphold. To do these we spend a disproportionate
amount of our time and money. But to what end? All of those things
are important, family, celebrations, gift-giving, but do we remember
their purpose? Do we remind ourselves, as we run hither and yon,
that we do these things to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ?
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So today, in a very short devotional, I am not going to tell you
that you should not buy gifts, nor am I going to suggest eating out
more or ignoring family and tradition. Rather I am going to remind
you to remember the great gift of faith that you have in your life
as you do these things. Remember that the gifts you give
commemorate the gift you have received in Jesus Christ. Remind
yourself that the decorations are intended to celebrate his birth
and the arrival and welcoming of family contrasts with the rejection
of Mary and Joseph on that fateful night. Christmas can be a magical
time of year and it can be a time that renews and revitalizes our
faith. All we have to do is get out of our own way.
Prayer: Holy God, thank you for coming into this world
and coming into my life. Help me this week to remember you and all
that you have done for me. Please give me the patience to love my
family extravagantly and to remember to love myself. I pray in
Jesus' name. Amen
[Text from file received from Phil
Blackburn, First Presbyterian Church]
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