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 About this time each year I receive a pleasant
request from a friend to write a brief devotional thought (Yeah,
right. When did you ever know a preacher to be “brief”?) to share
with the loyal readers of Lincoln Daily News as Christmas
approaches.
After several years of crunching to meet the deadline, I decided I
really wanted to do it differently this year. So, I made a conscious
effort to ‘write’ this piece all year long by being mindful of
Christmas in my everyday living – to keep Christmas close at hand.
Unfortunately, I failed. Well, at least in the writing. I did think
about it, however. I actually managed to intentionally remember
Christmas throughout the year.
• I thought about Christmas in January when I was given the
privilege of speaking to my friends at Jolly Seniors about HOPE.
• I thought about Christmas in February, the month LOVE
normally takes the center stage.
• I thought about Christmas in March as I shared the COMFORT
of God with a family I dearly love as they said, “See you later” to
a wonderful, godly father who succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease.
• One can’t, or at least one shouldn’t, approach Good Friday (the
cross) and Easter (the resurrection) without purposefully thinking
about Christmas since without His coming in the flesh they aren’t
complete. So April brought thoughts about how Christmas means
LIFE.
• May gave us the opportunity to vacation and recreate at a friend’s
house, but Christmas was still with me as my wife and I experienced
disconnection from responsibility and PEACE.
• We returned home in June via a long drive that brought lovely
vistas of high rocky bluffs and verdant green fields and Christmas
crossed my mind as I enjoyed the BEAUTY of God’s world.
• In July I took some great kids to visit my Alma
Mater. The WONDER in their eyes as we walked around in 90
degree heat and humidity made my heart recall sweet memories of how
charming the campus looks at Christmas under a blanket of snow.
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• In August we gave away cold water and freezer pops and books and
other fun stuff at the Logan County Fair. Even with the sounds of
livestock and carnival rides and grandstand activities ringing in my
ears I thought about Christmas every time we gave away a GIFT.
• A baptism in September caused me to think about Mary and Joseph’s
FAITH.
• Watching the farmers as they brought the harvest in in October
made me think about JOY like the wise men felt when they
reached their journey’s end.
• And November is, of course, a great time to
reflect on BLESSING as we thank God for all His good gifts,
especially His Son.
What’s the point of this tedious sounding exercise just enumerated
like Aunt Elouise’s boring annual Christmas letter? (My sincerest
apologies to all you Aunt Elouises who may be reading this while you
take a break from addressing your Christmas letter envelopes!)
Just a simple thought:
Christmas is never far away as long as our hearts and minds are
fixed on Christ.
Thank You, Jesus for all that You are, all the time!
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