Christmas Musings

It has been almost a month since I last posted on my blog. A combination of busy-ness and writer's block totally derailed me. Now, as Christmas is rapidly approaching, I'm mulling some things over in my mind that I've decided to put into the blog. These are random, and in no particular order of importance.
  • Are we perpetuating a false meaning of Christmas when we spend untold time and money on the search for and purchase of gifts for everyone we know during Christmas?
  • Do we lose focus as to what Christmas is all about in the hectic pace of activities surrounding the season?
  • Even though we'd like it to be true, is Jesus REALLY the reason for the season in our lives (and our churches)?
  • Does it occur to us that most modern depictions of the Nativity scene includes the Magi (who didn't show up at the manger, but months later)?
  • At the first Christmas, only the Christ-child got gifts.
  • Does our current celebration of Christmas draw our attention more to the "unspeakable gift" God gave us or to the commercialization of the season?
  • Have "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" reached equal importance with Christmas Day?
  • Has anyone noticed that little kids seem more interested in playing with the box in which the gift came than with the gift itself?
I don't want to cast a pall over Christmas. I just want to re-claim it for what it is truly meant to be; the celebration of the birth of our Savior. Somehow that gets lost in the frenetic pace of the holiday which used to be a Holy Day. So what are you doing this year to give Jesus His rightful place in Christmas?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Man's Way vs God's Way

As I watch on C-span the Glen Beck rally in Washington D.C. I'm struck with the contradiction between man's approach to change and the plan that God gave us in the Bible to bring about lasting change. While man opts for "events" such as this rally, God's emphasis is on the individual; each one reaching and discipling one (Matt. 28:18-20) The result of disciple-making is that each disciple is then empowered to make disciples, and a movement is set in motion, not just an event. Jesus set the example for us in that He spent the majority of His time discipling and equipping a small group of men. Although He did, on occasion, speak to multitudes, the bulk of His time was invested in His disciples. If the money and man power that went into this rally were expended through disciple-making churches to train, equip and send out disciples of Jesus through our nation, lasting change would result. Once this rally is over, it is over. However, a disciple-making movement
Read more

Waiting for Christmas sermon, Waiting for Christmas sermon by Brian Bill, Luke, Luke - SermonCentral.com

Waiting for Christmas sermon, Waiting for Christmas sermon by Brian Bill, Luke, Luke - SermonCentral.com : If you are like me, you are always open to hearing new sermon ideas for Christmas.  I found one that I encourage you to examine.  Just follow the link above and find a fresh message for Christmas. My prayer for all my readers is that you will encounter Christ in a fresh way this Christmas and be drawn closer to Him as God continues His work of conforming you to the likeness of Christ.
Read more

To Whom Should We Pray?

Last night I had one of those rare instances where I actually had a mental conversation with God.  As with many my age, I frequently wake up in the middle of the night, perhaps several times.  On one of those instances last night I was thinking about the upcoming Prayer Meeting the next day.  As I thought about this, I also thought of how some people always address their prayer to the Father while others pray to Jesus.  Mentally I said to God, "To whom should we pray?"  Amazingly enough I got an instant answer.  In my mind God clearly said, "It depends on what you're asking for."  That thought had never entered my mind, so I asked God to elaborate on it...and He did.  "If you are asking for protection, provision or blessing" God said, "ask Me.  But If you are asking for redemption, healing or guidance, ask Jesus who died for your redemption, who was known as The Great Physician and who said that He was the Good Shepherd.  However, if you are ask
Read more