Christmas morning is approaching. It is just two weeks away.
The commercial frenzy of the season is heating up. There are sales, deals and promotions that make cash spring from our pocketbooks with the greatest of ease as we rush to find the perfect gifts for our loved ones.
There is nothing wrong with giving gifts at Christmas time as long was we keep everything into perspective and remember why we give.
We can go back to the first Christmas story to fully understand to origin of gift giving.
In the Christmas story recorded in the Bible in the book of Matthew, a group of men, Magi, came to visit Jesus in the manger after he had been born. These Magi were considered very intelligent, wise men.
Look at the account written in Matthew 2:7-12 (The Message): “Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, “Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I’ll join you at once in your worship.”
Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!
They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country.”
That's a remarkable story and tells us that we must be careful from whom we take our directions and know their motives.
Do you really think King Herod dispatched the wise men to find the Christ babe just so he could follow and worship him? No, he wanted to harm, kill the newborn because he felt his reign was being threatened by the new born king.
We must be on guard to make sure we hear and know God's voice and be able to determine that it is not something that is meant for evil, even when it appears to be good on the surface.
Aren't you glad the Magi listened to their dream and did not return to Herod with details about where the Christ child was located?
We must remember the world is not as just, not as loving, not as whole as we know it can and should be.
The coming of Christ and his presence among us –– as one of us –– gives us reason to live in hope that light will shatter the darkness, that we can be liberated from our fears and prejudices and that we are never alone or abandoned.
Christmas is not about wrapping presents, its being in the present and wrapping our arms around the ones we love/
It’s not about getting Christmas cards into the mail on time, baking cookies and tasty treats.
It’s not about having the biggest and best Christmas light display, it’s displaying the Christ light that comes from our heart.
It’s not about Santa coming down the chimney, it’s about Jesus coming down from heaven, and giving us the gift of eternal life.
May we allow the miracle of Christmas to continue to live in our lives long after the holiday trappings have been packed away for another year.
Remember it's easy to think Christmas, and it is easy to believe Christmas, but it is hard to act Christmas in our daily lives.
These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.
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