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TRUST JESUS TODAY

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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Christmas Cooking/Baking (not recipes) (10/16/08)
    Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. (Zechariah 14:21a NAS)
It's that time of the year when all of us come together to enjoy Christmas feasting, yet not everyone in the world has this same privilege. While some may complain about the preparation, the cooking and the baking, many like me who knows next to nothing about cooking and baking, often just sit around in expectancy to a feast in celebration of our Lord's birthday.

The Bible mentioned a great deal about feasting, but very little about cooking, except maybe for what is implied of Martha's distraction with her preparation when the Lord visited her home, and of another occasion when she prepared a supper for the Lord (Luke 10:38-42; John 12:2). In the Old Testament, the Bible mentioned many feasts, including the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of the Harvest, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Booths (Tabernacles), and Feast of the Passover. Some of these feasts are still being celebrated today by Jews and by Christians in various parts of the world.

The Feast of Booths, for example, is being observed by some 50,000 Christians, according to an article at the web site of Wikipedia. This Feast, in some places in the world, is even declared as a Christian holiday, much like the Lord's birthday. The Book of Zechariah mentioned about this Feast as part of a prophecy of our Lord's return (Zechariah 14). Biblical feasts, such as this, are usually observed in honor of God to remember what He has done for His people. Likewise, when we celebrate Christmas with feasting, we must also remember the reason for our celebration -- the birth of Christ, born to die for our sins and to set us free from spiritual death.

While it is absolutely true that all of us who participate in the feasting appreciate and are grateful to the ones who prepare the Christmas feast out of love, in suffering and hardship to cook and to bake, we must above all things, always remember the purpose of our celebration. Christmas is indeed an occasion deserving of a great celebration with feasting, cooking, and baking, but we, who are the ones who prepare the food, and the ones who feast on the food, must always do it out of love and appreciation, not only to one another, but also to the Lord, Who is the reason we are celebrating the occasion. Let us all, therefore, when we eat of the food, the turkey and ginger bread, the delights of the stomach and appetites, remember that it is because of Jesus we are cooking and feasting on this joyous occasion.

Teach us, O Lord, as we celebrate Your birthday with joy and feasting, to remember You, the reason for our celebration, to appreciate, love, and cherish the ones who work so hard to prepare the feast, to cook and to bake, in love and charity, so that we may feast with joy and gaiety, with appreciation and without gluttony.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Joshua Janoski
10/26/08
You are absolutely right. We must remember the reason for our celebrations. It is not just an excuse to pig out on food. It is a time to remember Jesus Christ and his birth, life, death, and resurrection.

Thank you for sharing this much needed message.
Celeste Ammirata
10/28/08
What a wonderful, well written reminder of the true meaning of our delicious celebrations. Very Nice!
Verna Cole Mitchell 
10/29/08
Your very well written devotional has, indeed, the true reason to celebrate at Christmas.
Karlene Jacobsen 
10/30/08
This is a good devotional. I do agree though that something personal would do wonders. I've always looked forward to my pastors teachings when he would tell a story to illustrate his point.
Just a thought.
This is well written.
Leah Nichols 
10/30/08
Nice devotional....maybe a Scripture verse for application? Very well-written and researched.