𝟑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐎𝐬 𝐀𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬!

(Written for The Round Farmhouse Ministries and published on 12 December 2023.)

"𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨." 𝐋𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝟏𝟐:𝟑𝟒 𝐍𝐈𝐕

As we approach this time of year the anticipation for many of us begins to build.  Decorating, shopping, baking, entertaining, travelling, and gift exchanges all rise to the top of our To Do lists.  A flurry of events such as concerts, dinners, and school plays are scribbled into our calendars.  Tempers become short as worry and anxiety, stress and impatience begin to build, soon turning into remorse and depression once the credit card statements come rolling in. 

𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑷!  𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯𝑬! 𝑹𝑬𝑭𝑳𝑬𝑪𝑻!

Amid the chaos of hectic schedules, we can slowly lose focus as the Christmas season begins to unfold.  We've been fooled into believing more is better; trapped into a viscous cycle that shames us if we don't strive to go bigger and better than last year.  In reality, we've let the enemy push us into a life being lived out more in the flesh than in the Spirit.

"𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞—𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝."

𝟏 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟐:𝟏𝟔 𝐍𝐈𝐕

𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑷! 

As Christians, we have given our lives over to Christ. However, in the hustle and bustle of a season of celebration, and in a nature of goodwill, we sometimes over-burden ourselves with plans and commitments. We can't enthusiastically honour the Messiah's birth if we're run down and exhausted. Take a moment each and every day to read just one verse of scripture relating to the miraculous gift of Christ's birth. Write it intentionally into your planner, block off a small chunk of time even if it's only 10 minutes, and focus on the wondrous event that gave us God in the flesh and hope for eternal life. 

𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯𝑬!

We do this unconsciously. But what if we focussed, just for a moment, on inhaling and exhaling with closed eyes, visualizing the lambing cave, crowded with witnesses to the miracle of our Lord's entrance into the world? Inhale, exhale... and quietly remember as you smile in ardent anticipation of the Heavenly birth.

𝑹𝑬𝑭𝑳𝑬𝑪𝑻!

The greatest gift of all is ours to celebrate! "𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐧,𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞." 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟑:𝟏𝟔 𝐊𝐉𝐕  At this time of year, our hearts are overflowing with love and generosity, faith and compassion. Remembering the treasure we have in our Saviour, we can live out every day (not just these last few of the year) rejoicing in the riches we possess in the assurance of the Kingdom of Heaven.

While Jesus Himself spoke these words, "𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐞." 𝐋𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝟏𝟐:𝟑𝟒, we can be assured that His miraculous birth made possible a life rich beyond measure, filled with spiritual gifts incomparable to any other. As He told a crowd of listeners, "𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐈 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞." 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟔:𝟒𝟕 𝐍𝐈𝐕

ᎫᎾᎩ ᎢᎾ ᎢᎻᎬ ᎳᎾᎡᏞᎠ, ᎢᎻᎬ ᏞᎾᎡᎠ ᏆᏚ ᏟᎾᎷᎬ!

Father God,

I pray You let Your Spirit wash over all my friends in faith this Christmas season; that they may find time throughout their hectic schedules to Stop, Breathe, and Reflect. Lord, together with them, I pray we all recognize and cherish the richness You have provided each of us through the gift of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate His miraculous birth with hearts bursting with anticipation and minds focussed on love.

In Jesus' Name we pray,

AMEN