Christmas is Coming Soon
How does that statement make you feel? If you’re like many people, it may be along the lines of one or more of these scenarios:
• You love the season, but your mind immediately jumps to a stressful “to-do” list.
• You have absolutely no clue what present(s) to get for [whomever] — or when you’ll have time to even think about shopping for them.
• You really would prefer a quiet, low-key, contemplative Christmas …and you’d love it if this year is finally the year that happens.
I just confessed to you how I feel. I’ll get over it and resume my lists and to-do’s and be joy-filled and excited about giving and sharing, but this day, I’m pondering. My wonderful family has more than enough “stuff” so I am trying to figure out what and how I can show my love in ways that glorify the ONE Who this upcoming Christmas season is all about.
And, I really, really desire my focus to be on gifting my Lord with my presence rather than presents. We have used the Magi’s gifting of the frankincense, gold and myrrh to the Holy Family as the “bar” we set for gifting to others.
But, for us in this 21st century – shouldn’t our gifting be centered around praise and worship to our Lord and Savior? Exodus 20:5 says: “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.”
Wait a minute, I thought jealousy was a bad thing? Well, it can be. But to God, it’s a glorious jealousy. When God says He’s “jealous,” it means when anyone attempts to substitute anything else for God, He could get offended. He will defend His uniqueness (“I am the LORD” in Exodus 20:2) which means He alone is God. He will share that place with no one or no thing.
If I saw a woman flirting with my husband, you better believe I would be jealous, and rightly so! My husband belongs to me and no one else. In the same way, God is jealous for you and me. We belong to Him, and He is crazy about us.
I wonder how many times God wants to remind us of a Scripture or connect us with a person who needs ministry, but we were unavailable in that moment because we were checking our text messages or distracted by something else.
This blog today has all my fingers pointing to me. God is jealous for His people. He is jealous for you and me.
As we enter this Thanksgiving week and the upcoming Christmas season, may we put the emphasis on THE GIVER Who gave His ALL for you and me. May our gifting include sweet love and joy to those around us – much more than tangible gifts, but heartfelt love and appreciation for one another.
Please forgive us, Lord, when we place any other gods before You in our love and loyalty. We know You are a jealous God, and we give You our hearts, minds and strength today. May we choose YOU over every-thing, every-thought, every-motive, every-person. Your presence is what we desire and crave. May our presence and YOUR presence be the greatest gift we give to YOU and others this Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Dueteronomy 4:24 “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”