"Christmas in America is more about getting what we want than giving what people need. Is this the tradition we want to pass down to our children? When we worship Jesus at Christmas, we're reminded that God came for all humanity. No matter our momentary circumstances, every human needs to be rescued from sin by the Son. "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2Corintians 9:8. God gives to us so we can give to others in order to expand His kingdom, not ours. If we can resist the trap of giving easy gifts, and if we can reject the assumption that giving expensive gifts or many gifts is the best way to express love, something else might begin to happen. We might experience moments of relational giving that our friends and family will care about and remember. Relational giving means the way we pay attention to another person. We think about who they are and what they care about. When we refuse to equate money with love, we become free. Spending less doesn't always mean giving less. When we give relationally during the Advent season, this is what we remember: it's an opportunity to worship as we remind each other of the gift that was given for our sake. The conscious giving of our time and presence to another is not a new concept, but it is a neglected one."
I have been thinking a lot about Christmas and family. I have been talking to God and trying to understand why I was unable to spend the holiday with my family, why I am alone for Christmas. Usually I look forward to Christmas very much. I love seeing my family and spending time with them. Christmas holds many wonderful family memories for me, so what good memories will I get from being alone? I was pondering this very thing tonight while I was driving home from work and listening to Christmas music on the radio. I realized that I was repeatedly changing the channel on the radio because the song they were playing was not ‘happy’. Then it hit me, Christmas is not about being ‘happy’. Remembering Christ and the reason He came to dwell among us is amazing, humbling, and joyful, but not happy. We were and continue to be sinful people. God, the one and only true God, who created us to be His companions and stewards of all His amazing creation, the only god who is responsive and caring, sent His only Son to live a perfect and blameless life so we could learn how we are to live by His example so that He could then pay the ultimate price for our sins by dying on the cross. We have been given more than we could ever possible comprehend.
Thank you Lord for Your immeasurable love and unending grace, which is constantly offered to all humanity. Please give us eyes to see the opportunities You have laid before us to graciously give of ourselves in remembrance of your great sacrifice on our behalf. You are with me always, I am never alone.
