Taking Back Christmas: December 21st
UPDATE: I wanted to share a story today that really goes with what we are looking at the next two days. With the economy poor and Christmas approaching we’ve had a lot of people contacting the church for aid. Because we are not an aid organization we send most of them on to one of a number of organizations we work with. One person this week, however, really pulled on my heart. She had gone through a number of situations recently that frankly I wish no one ever had to go through. Despite working a job and doing her best she could not get her rent paid, and was close to getting evicted. I felt for her, but again, we’re not an aid organization, especially not at the sort of level she needed. We tried to get in touch with a couple of organizations in town, but either could not, or their funds were pretty dry (many organizations don’t get “refreshed” until the new year). The woman actually called back later in the day and said she only had a few hours until she got evicted. Again, I checked around, but just could not figure anything out on such short notice. As I reached for the phone to inform the woman I was very sorry a member of our church walked into my office and handed me an envelope. She had just come into a significant sum of money and felt God telling her to that someone in town needed it and that I would know who that was. She handed me an envelope and when I looked inside it was the EXACT amount the lady needed to stay in her place! God is good. It was great to explain that story to the woman in need, letting her know that God is looking out for her and was moving in the lives of Christians to help her out. It was one of the first times in her life she could feel the love of God, and I’m excited now to see what other plans God has for her.
I tell this story not as any sort of a brag, but to show what can happen when you open yourself up to being used by God. As we talk about serving others as part of taking back Christmas I encourage you to pray about how God can use you to really bless others, just as the coming of Christ has been a blessing to you. Remember, helping serving someone else can not only meet a physical need they have, but in the hands of God can have a far deeper (possibly even eternal) impact.
Scripture: Luke 2:25-38 and Ephesians 2:1-10
Commentary: The story of Simeon and Anna encountering the infant Jesus does not seem to get nearly the attention given to the Shepherds and the Wise Men. Yet, when we read their reaction to meeting Jesus we learn more about who He is and what He’s come to do. Christ comes into the world to save us. Not because we have done anything to deserve it, because in fact we have done so much NOT to deserve it
In your life do you tend to do good things for people only when you think they deserve it? I’ll admit, I often have that tendency. If someone has treated me well I’m prone to go out of my way to treat them well. If they treated me poorly, or perhaps are someone I’ve never met or hardly know, I tend to be much less likely to serve them. Yet, that approach really does not model what Christ does in coming to earth does it? He does not come merely for those who patiently and righteously waited for him but, in Simeon’s words, he comes to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Pray: Take time today to pray for the following
- Thank God for coming to earth to give you what you did not deserve: the gift of eternal life
- Take a moment to look at your life and explore whether or not you are being a blessing to ALL people in your life. Ask God to help you expand the list of those who you are blessing and serving.
- Ask God to give you the courage to serve and bless others, regardless of what they have, or have not, done for you.
Andy's Ramblings 