As I write this post, it’s nearly three weeks before Christmas day. For some strange reason, I thought about the days when I was a church pastor, and we went into the neighborhoods, knocking on doors to share the good news of the gospel. Of course, the good news was and is that Christ the Savior has come, and men can be saved from their sin and have eternal life.
We went into the neighborhoods spreading this message once a month. December used to be among the most challenging months for us. That’s because lots of the people were busily “getting ready for Christmas.” I use that phrase because that’s what a number of the people who answered their door gave as the reason that they did not have time to talk to us. Also, we encountered a much higher than normal amount of homes with no one at home. I am certain that some of them were at the malls and shopping centers shopping and getting ready for Christmas.
Um, let me think about this. Is Christmas not the day we commemorate the birth of Christ the Savior? And isn’t it true that God “gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”? (John 3:16). Well, it was this exact message we had come into the neighborhoods to share, and since it was during the Yuletide season we were doing this, you would think that people would be even more willing to talk about Christ, but in reality they were not because they were too busy getting ready for Christmas.
Christmas is a time of the year that we traditionally do things to fix up our home, shop until we are exhausted, and plan special gatherings. I am not against any of these things. But what do any of them have to do with the real meaning of Christmas? Accordingly, we must be careful to keep these activities in proper perspective. Sometimes, Christians get so caught up in these nonessential activities that they are too physically worn out to really enjoy and savor the real meaning of Christmas.
The irony of it all is that some people who come to that special Christmas service at church are so tired from having overwhelmed themselves with preparations for the holiday that they don’t have the energy to worship the Lord with any enthusiasm. Or they are so preoccupied with thinking about the things they have yet to do before the big day that their mind is on several things such that God is getting only their divided attention. Moreover, some of them overspend at the mall—getting ready for Christmas—such that they have very little money to bring to the house of God.
So, how are you preparing for Christmas? Are you preoccupied with the cares of this world? Are you exercising poor financial stewardship, spending money that the Lord has not blessed you with? Rather, let us make Christ the center of our Christmas, since without Him Christmas would not be. Let us slow down the pace, and worship our Savior the more. Let us read the accounts of His miraculous birth in the Scriptures and recapture the very spirit of Christmas. Let us increase thanksgiving to our God for loving us so much that He gave His only begotten so that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And let us share the Savior with the lost. Let me know your thoughts.
We went into the neighborhoods spreading this message once a month. December used to be among the most challenging months for us. That’s because lots of the people were busily “getting ready for Christmas.” I use that phrase because that’s what a number of the people who answered their door gave as the reason that they did not have time to talk to us. Also, we encountered a much higher than normal amount of homes with no one at home. I am certain that some of them were at the malls and shopping centers shopping and getting ready for Christmas.
Um, let me think about this. Is Christmas not the day we commemorate the birth of Christ the Savior? And isn’t it true that God “gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”? (John 3:16). Well, it was this exact message we had come into the neighborhoods to share, and since it was during the Yuletide season we were doing this, you would think that people would be even more willing to talk about Christ, but in reality they were not because they were too busy getting ready for Christmas.
Christmas is a time of the year that we traditionally do things to fix up our home, shop until we are exhausted, and plan special gatherings. I am not against any of these things. But what do any of them have to do with the real meaning of Christmas? Accordingly, we must be careful to keep these activities in proper perspective. Sometimes, Christians get so caught up in these nonessential activities that they are too physically worn out to really enjoy and savor the real meaning of Christmas.
The irony of it all is that some people who come to that special Christmas service at church are so tired from having overwhelmed themselves with preparations for the holiday that they don’t have the energy to worship the Lord with any enthusiasm. Or they are so preoccupied with thinking about the things they have yet to do before the big day that their mind is on several things such that God is getting only their divided attention. Moreover, some of them overspend at the mall—getting ready for Christmas—such that they have very little money to bring to the house of God.
So, how are you preparing for Christmas? Are you preoccupied with the cares of this world? Are you exercising poor financial stewardship, spending money that the Lord has not blessed you with? Rather, let us make Christ the center of our Christmas, since without Him Christmas would not be. Let us slow down the pace, and worship our Savior the more. Let us read the accounts of His miraculous birth in the Scriptures and recapture the very spirit of Christmas. Let us increase thanksgiving to our God for loving us so much that He gave His only begotten so that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And let us share the Savior with the lost. Let me know your thoughts.
5 comments:
This has been my compliant for many years.
Getting ready for Christmas to me is praying more, thank God more, fasting more, going to Church with my attention focused on the Word of the day from the Pastor.
I SO want to end the commercial side of Christmas and return it to it's full meaning, the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Christ in Christmas (Christ Mass as it was originally and shortened to Christmas).
Don
http://exposeyourblog.com
Thanks for commenting, Don. I am with you. Our nation has exploited the Christmas holiday for monetary gain. How much more blessed would America be if Christ were made front and center on Christmas.
Blessings,
Frank
"Too busy getting ready for Christmas" Perhaps we should all ask ourselves if we're the right kind of 'busy'.
Every Christians Should read this blog and have to learn that our busyness in life shudnt keep us away from His presence.
Thanks Anji and Princely. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the busyness of this world. We must keep Christ front and center at all times, but especially during Christmas.
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