Devotionals

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I'm not sure about your home, but we spend the weekend after Thanksgiving putting up our Christmas decorations. And since we will be hauling out all the trappings I thought we might start with the symbols of this season.
Day 1 The Christmas Star
We will start with the star because its job was to point the way to the manger. Matthew 2: 2 “…We have seen His star, and are come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:10 “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”
We all know the story of the Wise Men and most have read it every Christmas beyond count, but let’s take a closer look at this story and the star. The star is the main character in this story and the guide that has brought these ‘kings’ to Bethlehem looking for Jesus. [Perhaps you might want to read it again before going on.] It is found in Matthew 2: 1-12
These are kings bringing gifts appropriate for a greater king. They have come with an attitude of worship and honor to a baby who they recognize as greater than themselves. They arrived at the logical place for a king, the palace of Herod. But the One they seek is not there, and the local king isn’t even aware of His birth.
This is a picture of our world today. There are those who recognize that Jesus has come and will come again one day. They celebrate His coming at Christmas. But most of the religious world is busy with the business of being religious and isn’t even aware of His presence among us. Like Herod and the religious leaders of that day, they are afraid that Jesus will steal their popularity, power and authority.
The wise men were not even side tracked by the court, but remained focused on worshiping Jesus, although they didn’t even know His name. They leave Herod’s court with their new information and set out to resume their quest, but lo and behold the star appears once more and leads them to the home where Joseph, Mary and Jesus are staying.
The star led them across the vast desert, into an unknown land and left them until they gained the knowledge they needed to resume their journey. The star led them to the house, not the stable, where Jesus was. They didn’t see the babe in the manger, but the infant now staying in a home. [Note both the shepherds and the wise men met the baby Jesus, but each at the appointed time and place God had planned. —So it is with us.]
I think the star represents both the Word of God and the guiding light of the Holy Spirit. They are both intertwined. The Bible is the written word of God and the Spirit is the living presence of God. Both of them point to the life and ministry of Jesus. They speak to us of His purpose for coming and the continuation of His work among us. They lead us one step at a time and stop until we are ready to resume our journey to become more like the character of Christ.
The wise men’s attitude was paramount to the quality of their meeting Jesus. Scripture says when they saw the star they were filled with exceeding great joy and celebration. This same attitude not only dictates what kind of a Christmas we enjoy but whether we will see the Christ of Christmas or be sidetracked by the commercialism. It will season what the rest of our new year will produce. Christians should be filled with joy and celebration all year round because Christ is among us daily. We should enjoy the season of Christmas more than anyone because we are living proof that the Saviour has indeed come and given to mankind the greatest gift of all, Himself.
As we begin this Advent time, I would challenge you to consider your attitudes. Are you so focused on being where Jesus is that the world cannot sidetrack you from His presence and plan for your life? Do you seek the leading of the Holy Spirit with the same enthusiasm that the wise men sought the leading of the star?
Are you exceedingly joyful so that others are drawn to the Savior’s side? As you hang the star high on the top of your tree remember that Jesus is above all and He declared, ‘If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.’ [John 12:32] So lift of the Star of Christmas this year and watch what He does to transform both your Christmas and the lives of those whose path you cross this season.
Day 2 The Angels
Angels appear everywhere at Christmas time. Now days they are seen almost daily. We seem to have an infatuation about them. But what is their real calling and how does that calling speak to us at Advent. Matthew 1:20 “…Behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him saying…Fear not…”
Angels are the messengers. We must be careful to recognize they do the bidding of the Lord. One visited Mary with the news of Jesus being her child. [Luke 1:26-35] An angel spoke to Joseph and reassured him that Mary was following God’s plan. [Matthew 1:18-25] It was an angel who told the shepherds that Jesus had arrived and sang of His purpose. [Luke 2:8-20]Then an angel warned Joseph to flee [Matthew 2:13]
Angels appear throughout the Scriptures with messages from the Lord and each time they preface their words with, 'Fear not'. Perhaps their shinning presences was frightening, or perhaps they are so large and authoritative that people are intimidated by them, but whatever the reason for the anxiety, their first words are reassurance.
Angels are sent to guide, warn, prophesy or instruct in some way. They do not speak in their own authority or with their own words, but convey whatever God has told them to say. They are heavenly beings on heavenly business.
Like angels we are called to be God’s messengers in today’s world. We too are part of heaven’s citizenship, if we are Christians, and we too have a heavenly message to bring. Our words should be only what He directs us to say, and we should be reassuring others that God loves and cares for everyone equally.
The world is full of fear, especially when it comes to the message of the cross and Jesus, because it exposes their deepest needs. God’s Word relays the same messages as the angels did long ago. They are words of guidance, warning, prophecy, and instruction. They are words that offer forgiveness, redemption and life to all who will receive them, and WE are the messengers.
What if the angels didn’t go when sent, or didn’t speak God’s message in truth, what would the outcome have been? That brings us to the thought, what messages do we bring? Are we bearers of the truth? Do we speak in love or strike fear in the hearts of others? Do we go at the bidding of the Holy Spirit or make some excuse or just plain refuse?
Christmas brings openness to mankind that isn’t present any other time of year. That’s why charities use this season to raise funds. What a wonderful opportunity for us to share the Good News of the Saviour, His coming, His death, His resurrection, and His gift of salvation.
You can tuck this good news in your Christmas cards, include it in your annual Christmas letters, and wrap your gifts in paper that tells the story. How about wearing it on your lapel. There are so many ways to share the true story of Christmas and open a door for the Holy Spirit to woo the lost to Christ. What better Christmas gift could you give someone to introduce them to Jesus Christ. Be an angel, and deliver HIS message. Did you notice that many of these actions do not require you speaking?
Day 3 The Garland
Isaiah 61:10 (NIV) I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
We used to drape our tree with tinsel. The kind that comes in aluminum strands, but now we use garlands. These are the thing we clothe our tree decorations in. For some of us it may be a bright ribbon. For others it may be pearls or colorful garland. Regardless of its makeup it is still just a garland. Christmas is a time for us to remember that Jesus came to drape God's arms of love and forgiveness around the world. And like our garlands He comes to us in intimate, personal ways.
Does your tree seem incomplete until the tinsel garland is on it? In the same way our lives are incomplete until we are draped in God's love. One of the special things we see when we look at how God has clothed us with garments of salvation, is we all become our best selves. He not only makes our lives complete, He brings out all the special traits in us just as the garland enhances the bulbs and ornaments we have put on our tree.
I like the fact that no two Christmas trees look the same. And year after year our tree is a bit different even if we use the same ornaments we have had for ever. That is one of the beautiful things about being clothed in God's love and forgiveness, we are still all individuals with unique characteristics. He does not make us carbon copies but uses the same gifts of His love to make each of us unique and beautiful.
Take time today to remember some of the ways God has clothed you in His love and be thankful for His forgiveness. After all that is why He came at Christmas; that He might clothe us in garments of salvation and robes of righteousness.
Day 4 The Lights
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light so since before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Heavenly Father.”
There are the lights, on the tree, around the yard and perhaps even on the house frame. There are candles that grace the table and perhaps the fireplace mantle, they too are the lights of Christmas. Big lights, small lights, colored lights, clear ones all different sizes and shapes but all part of Christmas decorations and celebration.
Lights are a way of dispelling the darkness. In fact, candles, bonfires and Yule logs were lit to dispel spiritual darkness in times gone by. Jewish tradition has the menorah lights of Hanukah. Lights representing the presence of God in the Temple, lights that burned miraculously when there wasn’t enough oil to sustain them.
Christ called us the ‘lights of the world’. Lights meant to shine and touch all those who come within our sphere of influence. Lights meant to illuminate and dispels the darkness that surrounds our world. We are to be lights for Him. But even as the lights of Christmas come in different sizes, shapes and colors so too we are each unique and our light is custom fitted to His plan for us.
I have often read this passage and we quote the end of it often, but I didn’t really notice the different contrasting lights in it. They are; lights of the world, city on a hill, lamp on a lamp stand, all illuminators, but each different. We are to influence the world. That may mean our local sphere of influence, or it could truly mean worldwide.
We are to be as conspicuous as a city on a hill. That doesn’t mean we are to be obnoxious, but it means that we should exude the light of Christ in our daily life that would make us eye-catching to the world. They would see that something was different about us and we would be in a position to share with them the Light of Scripture.
We are not to hide our light thinking it is too small or plain. As I said already, Christ made each of us unique and our light is just as special. Whether we are a tiny twinkle or a sky-searing beacon, our lights are of equal importance to God and for His purposes. He expects us to let them shine.
Finally did you notice that the lamp lit everyone that was in the house? That means where you live each day. Those that know you best and worst are included in that ‘house’. What shines about you in the everyday? Is it the qualities of Christ or the brassiness of sinful humanity? True we are all human, but we do not have to be slaves to the sinfulness that Christ came to remove from us. If you were the only light that shone in your world, would others see the light of Christ shinning in and through you or would they be left in the dark?
It is so easy to be light when around strangers and for short periods of time, like when we are in church or public. But what happens when we get behind closed doors? Do we continue to be lights as He would have us be, or do we let our light go out? Most of us know how to act the part of a Christian, but in our heart of hearts our light needs to be genuine not just for show.
Day 5 The First Gift
Next let's consider the many gifts we that appear at Christmas. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this; while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”
That first Christmas saw a babe in a manger and most likely there had been no baby shower or gifts brought at His birth. We speak of the Wise Men with their gold, frankincense and myrrh, but they came later. The first gift of Christmas was Christ Himself.
Stop here and think about that last sentence, the first gift of Christmas was Christ Himself. Love personified, delivered in human flesh for the express purpose of redeeming mankind and restoring fellowship with God Almighty. The gift was offered with no strings attached or record keeping of how much we offered in exchange for this gift. We didn’t even ask for it. But God gave it just the same and Christ delivered it Himself. LOVE pure and eternal and free.
We give gifts this time of year and are often motivated by obligation and looking good in the eyes of others. We may judge the gifts we receive as to their monetary value and whether they are as good as the ones we gave the giver. We keep records of who sent cards and who gave gifts and we include them if they included us. But is that really giving? Would we send cards and give gifts even if we did not receive a single one?
How do we honor Christ in our giving? Do we consider what He would like us to give this year? I’m not saying we should give all our money to charity and the ‘bell ringers’ that appear everywhere. But I am saying do we include Him in our shopping and list making and gift buying. Are all these activities permeated with His love? Do we even give love at Christmas?
Personally, I am overwhelmed when I stop and consider the truly first Christmas gift. I am ashamed to say that I don’t always give out of love. I sometimes give out of obligation. I am expected to give to certain people, and the gifts I give are ones that I know they will accept as ‘good enough’. But perhaps we should dispense with gifts this year and really focus on loving everyone…really loving.
Perhaps He would be most pleased if we copied His example and gave without thought of whether our gift will be received, or reciprocated or even understood. Those are the reactions He has received and yet He continues to give.
How would it be if we tried to distribute love pure and free to everyone we meet, especially family? Isn’t that what the motive and essence of gift giving is suppose to be? Love with no strings attached. No hidden agenda, or scorecard as to the response we receive. It is what Jesus said was to be evident if we are His disciples. “My command is this; Love each other as I have loved you.” [John 15:12] NIV That was the first and best gift of Christmas. It should be the most prominent gift found under our tree.
Tomorrow we will look at some more of the gifts God gives us all year through.

Day 6 More Gifts from God
1Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain, faith hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Christmas will be here before we know it and then we will all look forward to New Years. But as we are preparing for all these festivities we can take a moment to think about the other gifts God has offered us this year.
Faith is the ability to trust, and to have confidence. God offers us the gift of faith so that we can move mountains. Matthew 21:21 NIV Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. That amount of faith need not be more than a mustard seed in size.
We can have confidence that God will walk with us every single moment of every single day. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." It is so easy to forget this gift from God when the world closes in and things seem way beyond our control.
The gift of hope is a vital part of life. It is the stuff optimism is made from. Without hope we flounder and die. Psalms 25:5 NIV Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. God desires to guide and teach us so that we can be full of hope. When God is near there is always hope regardless of the crisis.
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. There is the key to always having hope. Put that trust in the Lord. And here too is a great promise. We will endure when our hope is in God and not in the world.
The last gift is that of love. And we have really talked about that yesterday. Jesus was love personified. We all know John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son... When we have invited Jesus into our life then we receive that gift of love. And in turn we learn how to love as He loves.
Remember this love is not dependent on our behavior but it is a love that loves us even when we do things that He hates. That is a love that can only exist in us as we allow the Holy Spirit to live in and through our lives. It does not mean we have to hang with those that do things that displease us, but it does allow us to love them and through prayer invite God into their lives so that He may give to them the same gifts he has given us.

Day 7 Reflection
This is a good time to consider all the things we have talked about? The symbols of Christmas reminds us of what Christmas is about and how we can make it even more special. We are called to shine His light in our lives so that others can find their way to Him.
We need to make sure our words give a message of hope. We need to live lives of truth. People should see that we are genuine. Like the angels we need to be messengers of God's love. Then whether our lights are big or small we will dispel darkness wherever we are. We will be lights of hope to a world in turmoil.
We need to think about the gifts God offers us every day. Faith, hope and love. And we need to make sure we take time to reflect on that first Christmas gift. God personified, come to redeem us and clothe us in salvation and righteousness.
Take time today to review what we have talked about this week and see where you can include them into your Christmas planning and celebrating.
Week 2
More and more I see the focus of Christmas moving away from Christ and to a game of seeing who can out give the other. This is the only birthday we celebrate by giving each other gifts instead of the One whose birthday we are commemorating.
Jesus was the gift of Love to the world. So for this next week let's look at this special love gift that came at Christmas. He brought us the chance to live a better way. We are going to touch on His character, commands and reasons for why He came.
As you read these thoughts, I hope you will reflect on them and as the Holy Spirit speaks to you through them, they will change you for the better and make this Christmas more meaningful to each of you.


Day 8 Motivation of Love
1John 4:10 HEREIN IS LOVE, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
This is the motivation for Christmas…LOVE. God loved us. I keep coming back to this because it is the essence of God Himself. [1John 4:16 NIV And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.] He saw our need. He realized we couldn’t help ourselves and worse yet we really had no desire to forsake our sinful state. He was compelled by LOVE to provide the remedy even though we weren’t interested.
He loved us! At the time of Christ’s birth, we weren’t even born yet. And once we arrived we didn’t come with automatic love for Him. He had to woo us and win us. Yet before we came on the scene, God LOVED us so much as to have already planned for our rescue.
No selfish motive here. No pride or desire to show us up. His motive was LOVE. God’s desire was to bless us and give us all that belonged to Him just because He LOVES us. He still has that same desire. How many people laugh, scorn and absolutely refuse to accept His Gift?
Not me, I hear you say, but wait…are you wholly His? Is He truly first in your life? How many times do you make excuses for not reading the Bible, or skipping church, or prayer? Do you seek His Will in every decision you make, or expect Him to fill out your wish list? I have to admit that I don’t always love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
Not only did He come out of LOVE but He literally took our place in judgment for our sins. That’s what propitiation means. He removed our name from condemnation and wrote His in our place. John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. No one has to face judgment and condemnation. We just choose to continue in our sinful ways because it is what we want to do.
I don’t think that Christ meant that we must literally die for the ones we love, but that those we love should come first in our life even if it means we do without.
As we prepare for Christmas this year consider where He truly falls in your list of priorities. It is easy in the rush of daily living to unknowingly relegate Him to ‘leftovers’.
Now as we prepare for Christmas, take the time to open your heart to the Giver of TRUE LOVE and be ready to really celebrate this Season with HIM.
Day 9 God's Commandment
John 15: 12-14 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Here is rest of the picture that we peeked at yesterday. When we receive the gift of Christ in our life we are expected to respond in kind. When we get a gift from someone we are expected to care for it. In this case we are to share our gift with the world. Jesus gave us a command here. He didn’t give us a choice or say if it’s convenient or pleasant or even desirous. He commanded us to LOVE as He has loved and continues to LOVE us. The word friend here designates not only a relationship but a connection. If we truly want to be connected to Christ, we must LOVE as He LOVES. This is something we see lacking in our world. The act of truly caring for others, loving them regardless. That is what God did when He sent Jesus into the world, and on to the cross in payment for our sin. Jesus went willingly because He loved us just like the Father. We see that Christ made a choice and we too must make a choice to LOVE. It is not about how we feel, but it is an act of will. John 10:15, 17, 18 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I LAY DOWN MY LIFE for the sheep. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life…No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.
Remember we didn’t know Christ or even care about Him when He came. He will not force us to LOVE but if we desire to be like Him and have the approval of both He and a His Father, we too must choose to LOVE. We must lay down our life for others. It is easy to fake it with strangers, but not with family and those who know us best. God knew Christ and vice versa. God knew that LOVE was the reason for Christ coming. LOVE alone!
He not only commanded us to LOVE completely, but humbly as well. He gave us an example in John 13:14,15. He took the form of the lowest servant or slave and washed the feet of His disciples. This was no small deed.
The streets were dusty and dirty and filled with the excrements of all the animals that used it. Therefore their feet were more than just dirty from their open sandals. But He didn’t just wash their feet, He gave them and us another glimpse of the thought we are talking about today. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. [verse 15]
One of the attitudes that prevails today is …Don’t crap on me! But we cannot go through this world without getting crapped on. We all are guilty at one time or another, whether on purpose or un-knowingly of doing this to others. Christ gives us an example of what we are to do. More than that, Christ came at Christmas to remove the filth from our lives and make us clean and pure again. His Advent meant the coming of purity of soul available to all who accept Him and are willing to follow His example for us.
Christmas brought us LOVE pure, lowly and serving. Do we portray this same kind of LOVE both during this Season and throughout the year? 1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the LOVE of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Day 10 Love Inseparable
Romans 8: 35 Who can separate us from the LOVE of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or the sword?
This may seem like a strange verse for Advent, but consider what have been the events of this year. We have had disease, tsunamis, earthquakes, wars, hurricanes, floods, terror attacks and many distressful things happening both here and abroad. Still we are preparing for the festival of Christmas, and why? Because whatever has or will happen, Christmas represents Hope and Love the world around.
When we think about preparing ourselves for Christmas it is appropriate that we consider how God has displayed His LOVE for us both in His protective care and His mercies towards others. But even greater than the Loving Mercies God has bestowed on us this past year, Christmas reminds us that Christ brought us an even greater gift--the gift of sonship.
1 John 3: 1 Behold what manner of LOVE the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: … Christmas brought us the opportunity of becoming a member of God’s family. Not just children but equal with Jesus because He came. Romans 8:16, 17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; and joint-heirs with Christ; … This is no second class role, but one equal in status and importance as Christ Himself. Jesus knew His coming would mean an equal share in all He had and yet He gladly and willingly came.
To see how great a gift He offered with His coming read Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus gave up all His heavenly glory and took on humanity out of LOVE for us. Not only did He become human, but He became a common ordinary human, not one born of wealth, or power. He joined Himself to the care of a simple girl and a common carpenter from the wrong side of Israel, so that all should understand He came as a LOVE gift to all humanity.
As we prepare for Christmas, let us once again ponder the real GIFT of Christmas. All that He represents and how great was His LOVE to bring such a gift to earth; just for us.

Day 11 Intimate Love
Isaiah 49:16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hand.
This verse is very humbling to me for it reveals the intimacy of the gift of Christ to each of us. Charles Spurgeon wrote this about the above verse. “It doesn’t say your name..,[it says] I have engraved you…I have engraved your person, your image, your situation,, your circumstances, your sins, your temptations, your weaknesses, your wants, your works, I have engraved you, everything about you, all that concerns you. I have put you altogether there.”
Do you get the full impact of what that verse is saying? We are not under a blanket plan, but are personally and intimately important to God. He LOVES us so much that He has engraved each of us on His palms so that we are ever before Him and no matter what He is doing we are in His thoughts. Not our name, but the true essence of all we are as individuals.
The first word in that verse is SEE. And that too is what Advent is all about. It is to open our eyes to the true meaning of Christmas. To see afresh all that Christmas truly means. Each year is seems that the world brings out the lights, tinsel and the noise that easily distracts us from the reality of Christ and Christmas. The commercialism becomes more glitzy and targeted at our greed and pride. We are swept away in the rush of getting that one gift that sets us above all others received. But in all this we miss the most important Gift of all. The One true Gift ---Christ’s coming.
Stop even now, if you haven’t yet, and ponder what spirit is permeating your holiday activities. Are you filled with the true Spirit of LOVE or have you been taken over by some other one? Check your focus. I ask again, if you awoke on Christmas morning to find no gifts under your tree, would you still be filled with joy and celebration because this is the day we commemorate Christ’s birthday?
Day 12 Agape Love
1Corinthians 12:31 tells us to covet the best gifts and promises to show us a more excellent way. Then it leads directly into the chapter on love. The love in chapter 13 is agape; unconditional love. That is who Christ is… unconditional love personified. The chapter ends saying the greatest thing is agape love. Think about that for a minute.
Love was the motivation behind all that God has done, is doing and will do. He loves us and desires an intimate relationship with us. Scripture tells us that Christ left behind all His majesty, and humbled Himself to die upon the cross for all mankind. [Philippians 2:5-8] You want to tell me what other motive would cause someone to forsake such power and glory and voluntarily die by crucifixion, [or any other kind of death for that matter,] for people who didn’t even know or like Him?
But Philippians began that passage by saying ‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus’. In fact the whole chapter begins talking about a mindset that chooses to hold others higher than one’s self. Jesus not only gave us an example of what agape love looked and acted like, He provided the means for us to attain that better way though salvation’s plan.
Many charities make their big push at Christmas because people seem to be more generous and tender towards other’s needs during this season. But what is the motivation behind the outpouring of donations? Don’t get me wrong I am glad that people give, but what if it didn’t count for a tax credit? What if it cost you more than the money you donated…what then? Would you still be as generous?
In a world gone wild with hate, anger and violence where do we see this agape love? The dictionary confuses this Greek word with our word for astonishment [agape meaning astonished or amazed with mouth open]. Christ offers us the opportunity to show an attitude that leaves some people open-mouthed. They may be surprised that someone could care so greatly for others. When we accept His gift of love into our lives we too can learn to show agape love. This is not a human tendency. But it is a better way.
How different our Christmas would be if we sought to allow the mind of Christ to transform our attitude towards others and be tempered with agape love. Think how different our world would be.
Day 13 Loving like Jesus Costs Us
We've been talking this week about God's gift of Love ... Jesus. We talked about what He gave. We talked about how accepting His love should change us and how we think and act. But as in other subjects Jesus gave us an example here too. Jesus gave of Himself constantly and never said much about it.
Here is the one time we get a glimpse that it cost Him to give of Himself. . [Mark 5:25-34] This story is found in three of the Gospels. Jesus is surrounded by a mass of people when He feels virtue has left Him. A woman was in the crowd who had a need felt that just to touch His garment was enough to heal her.
This act caused Jesus to ask, “Who touched me?". Righteousness had been draw on by the woman’s faith when she touched the hem of His garment. Notice Christ’s reply when she came forward and confessed to what she had done… ‘your faith has made you whole’… a better way.
The woman had spent years looking for a cure for her illness and had found none. Yet when she heard Jesus was coming by, she felt that touching His garment would be sufficient to exact the cure she had so long waited for. She did not feel worthy to come forward and ask for help, but thought she might just slip in and touch Him and quietly slip away in the crowd. But Jesus wasn’t going to let her go without acknowledging her faith and her importance as a person.
How many people do we interact with who have a need? Do we give of ourselves to help meet that need. Being loved and giving love costs.
We find forgiveness and the power of agape love when we confess our need and in faith take hold of what Christ has done for us. Like the woman, we often we feel unworthy of a better life, but Christ wants us all to recognize that He sees all of us as worthy. He came to bring us a better way, the way of agape love, His kind of love. So we need to reflect on that. We need to practice agape love every day. Have we really touched the end of His garment for healing? Having received the gift of a better way we need to live it.
Day 14 Review
I think it is good to reflect on what we have been talking about each week. Perhaps there was one day that you carried all week. And in that you missed some other gem on a different day. By stopping here you can solidify what you have been reading. You may even want to go back and review some of the thoughts we shared these past days.
For the past two weeks we have been talking about love. The essence of God Himself revealed in Jesus. God's love for the world and for each of us individually. We talked about how this great love motivated Jesus to not only come but to set an example for us. Then He went even farther and offered Himself in our place on the cross.
He asked us to accept this gift and then He requires us to share it by living a life that demonstrates agape love. Wow, that is a tall order but He didn't just lay that on us and leave. He inscribed each of us on His hand so that we are ever before Him. He wants us to know He is there always, no matter what, to give us the ability to have agape love.
This gift of love offers us a better life, a better way to live in a world that is hurting. It is that offer of a better way that makes Christmas the season of hope.

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We need to be keenly aware that there are forces working hard to remove the meaning of Christmas from our lives and the world. We live in a time when godlessness is in vogue and righteousness is looked down on. Thus, this week our thoughts will be even more focused on the meaning of Christmas rather than the story of Christmas.
We need to take a serious look at our spiritual attitudes towards this Season and the way we observe it. We need to soberly look to see if we have subtly been turned away from the celebration of Christ’s Coming to the party-attitude of the world.
Almost all the gifts we exchange at this time of year are meaningless when it comes to the things that are of value in our lives and eternity. If we have taken or if we take Christ out of Christmas we no longer have anything to celebrate.
These sessions are not short or pithy but are meant to be considered and mulled over seriously in between each day. If we truly want to observe Christmas then we need to take time daily to consider the thoughts expressed throughout the week. Get out your Bible and read the Scriptures listed. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your mind and spiritual eyes to see what He wishes to share with you.
We start by looking as the world we are living in. We often forget that humanity is wild and many times empty that causes us to seek something to fill our emptiness. Even as we have experienced valleys and mountains that seemed insurmountable, we need to refocus our view. This week the challenge is to check our attitude and approach to life with its challenges. Then we need to remember we have a real reason to look forward each day and to celebrate Christmas.
Day 15 A Voice in the Wilderness
Isaiah 40:3-5 [Spoken of John the Baptist]
This is considered a prophetic passage that refers to John the Baptist and his declaration of Christ’s coming. But it definitely has value today as we prepare for Christmas. ‘The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness’-
We begin by noting that the voice is calling out in the wilderness. Webster’s says that a wilderness is an area that is in its natural condition. It can be wild, barren and is usually empty. Doesn’t that sound like the human condition? That is what our spiritual life is like without God. It is wild, barren, and empty. Yet God calls out to us. He has been calling since the Fall in the Garden of Eden. He calls to us today not only to repentance but also to come away with Him out of the wilderness to a place of fellowship and refreshing.
When we are spiritually barren we may gather a lot of things around us but inside we are still lacking. Any area can become a ‘wilderness’ if left to itself or ignored and that includes our spiritual life. If we do not continually keep our focus on Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to keep us with right attitudes and actions, our spirit will become wild and return to its ‘natural condition’ of rebellion against God. We will see ‘little thorns and thistles’ cropping up in our spirits and we will wonder why we have lost our joy and peace. Sometimes our rebellion isn’t blatant but we just begin to do things in our own strength or forget to seek God’s direction.
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord” Returning to the original language of this passage we get a clearer view of what is written here. Even as the prophet looked forward to the Advent of the Messiah, we can look back and reflect on what His coming brought.
The word prepare in this passage means to turn, to face, and to look. We need to be sure we are turned in the right direction with our face looking at Christ and seeing Him as the true GIFT of Christmas. We need to be sure we look to see that we are walking daily according to His plans and not our own.
The Way in this verse refers to a course of life, a lifestyle that adheres to a certain pattern or path. In other words, our daily living should reflect the direction we are facing and if it is Christ-ward. It should be far removed from the way the world is going. Others should be able to tell that there is something different about us.
Of the Lord refers to Jehovah God. This is the first character that God revealed to man in Scripture. The Great I Am, the Lord Almighty, the Holy One, God the Father. This means that our lives should reflect the character of God the Father even as Christ’s life was lived to glorify His Father. We could not even strive to live such a life if Christ had not come.
“ Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” is the rest of that verse. It is a challenge for us to ‘straighten up’ in preparation for Christmas. To make something straight in the original is to ‘cause to be right’. Before Christ came that was not possible. Even now we cannot in our humanness cause our lives to be right. It is the gift of Christmas that made such a change possible. Christ’s coming was the beginning of making the Holy Spirit available to everyone.
The desert in this passage is sterile and lifeless. Just as we were before Christ came into our lives. He brings life to our spirit with His coming. If you have ever been to the desert in the Spring you would see a profusion of color as it bloomed because of the recent rains and the melting snow that watered it. Remove the water and it returns to mostly sand. So too our lives bloom with beauty as long as we receive the Living Water through the presence of the Holy Spirit. When we confine Him to only certain areas of our lives, we will find those areas that are not available to Him become a desert once more.
We are reminded that Christmas is about the hopeless state of mankind before Jesus came. We are reminded we were like both a wilderness and a desert. We were wild, barren, empty and our spirits were lifeless and sterile. Without His Coming we had no chance to make ourselves right or even have the correct outlook on life. Even as our spiritual side was crying out to find meaning and purpose, we could neither recognize nor change our human condition…but then Christ came and everything changed.
We now have the choice. Our lives can become a ‘highway for our God’. When we choose Him not only do we open ourselves to receive Christ into our lives, but we become a means that He can use to draw others to Himself. Webster says a highway is a public thoroughfare that connects one town to another. In other words, we can be a means God uses to lead people from sin and death to righteousness and life in Jesus Christ. And that happens because He came.
Consider what you were like before Christ came, how you become like a wilderness when you lose focus on Him and how things cannot replace what He brings with His coming.
Check up on your Christmas Spirit and make sure it is focused on the true reason we celebrate this time of year. If you need to ‘make straight’ some areas in your life, do so NOW and don’t wait a moment longer. Then you will be able to ‘prepare’ to enjoy the wonders of Christmas.

Day 16 A Way Out
Isaiah 40:3-5
As we continue with this passage we see even more closely the Reason for the Season. Without the coming of Christ we would have no hope or future but would continue to struggle with the valleys, mountains, hills and crooked places in our lives.
“Every valley shall be exalted” I get excited when I read this fourth verse because God begins with His lifting us up out of the valleys. Even as we discussed the human condition in the third verse, here we see God reaching down to lift us up out of that mess. When God made His first covenant with Israel He wooed her. He didn’t wait until Israel went looking for God. He still makes the first move today…He goes looking for us.
What does it mean to be exalted? Some of its synonyms include dignified, glorious, elevated. And isn’t that what happens when Christ comes? We are given the title of Child of God, with all the rights and privileges that Christ has. He bestows on us His likeness in the form of the Holy Spirit. But more than just lifting us out of the valleys, He takes the valleys and make makes them stepping-stones to greatness. [Rom. 8:28]
“Mountains and hills shall be made low”. The language here seems to express two different types of obstacles. The first is those things that keep us from God and the Blessings He desires to bestow upon us. Those habits and attitudes that interfere with our intimate walk with Christ. He humbles us so that we are willing to have Him remove them from our lives, because He knows they keep us from the best things.
The second type of obstacle that these mountains and hills represent are the trials of life. Some are small like the hills when compared to the mountains. Some loom up on us without warning or begin to fill the horizon of life.
Either way they seem overwhelming to us. Whether they are hill or mountain, Christ’s coming made us over-comers because He conquered them and has to power to bring them down. [Eph. 1: 17-23] Sometimes He merely removes them. Sometimes He gives us the power to go over them. [Ps 18:31-33] Either way, under His leadership and control they are ‘made low’.
“The crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain.” Once more the Scripture brings us back to the core reason for Christmas. The term crooked here refers to something polluted or deceitful. Again we think of our spiritual condition outside of Christ. Before we knew Him we were polluted by sin and deceived in recognizing our condition. But Christ’s coming opened the way for us to recognize our dilemma and the solution He brought. When we sin or totally rebel against Him, He still has the ability to make things straight again.
In this verse the word straight in the original means to justify and make upright. He not only removes the sin [justify] so that there is no sign of it ever being there, but He goes on to make our lives one of upright living.
What about the rough places? In the original rough refers to the root. The rough place is the cause of our problem as well as the problem itself. [We often call this the root problem.] Many times I think this refers to our attitude. Because our attitude usually dictates the way we choose to live. We have difficulty changing our attitudes because we are human. Usually a bad attitude is because of our sinful nature.
Also the rough places may be problems we face where we only see the consequences of their existence and not why they hang about. For example, perhaps there is something that seems to continue tormenting you, or there is a situation in your life that you just can’t seem to resolve. Maybe there is a ‘root cause’ that you cannot see, but God can. Instead of just focusing on the surface problem ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the real reason for the rough place. And then pray that the root be removed. Once more you will see that roughness replaced with a plain path. Without Christmas we wouldn’t have access to the power of the Holy Spirit.
This word plain means to make level. It refers to the process of filling in a valley or low spot so that it is the same height as the area around it. Thus, not only does He remove the rough places but He builds it up to meet with His standard of righteousness. He makes our daily lives ones that run smoothly because He goes before us and prepares the way.
Christ’s coming not only brought God down in human form, but He brought with Him the means to lift us up to heavenly standards. If we take Christ out of Christmas we remove the solution to all that plagues our world. Whether we remove Him by banning the use of His name, or smother Him with all the glitz, glamour and goodies that the world piles on during this time. Christmas without Christ is just another meaningless party.
Day 17 A Reason to Celebrate
Isaiah 40:5, Psalms 107:20-22
This last verse in Isaiah is very easy to understand, but let’s take a few minutes to talk about it. ‘And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.’ Past, present, and future is in this prophecy. Christ did come in the flesh and He was visible to all. He reveals Himself to the world today through the lives and testimonies of the believer. If we take Christ out of Christmas, whether in word, attitude or deed, how will ‘all flesh see’ Him? We can either be a reflection of Him or we will become blinders that keep others from finding Him.
This verse also tells us that He will come again and the whole world will see Him as He descends in final victory. But did you catch what He is called? The Glory of the Lord! He is God’s greatest achievement. The plan of salvation and its implementation into our lives gives God His greatest happiness. All three parts of the Godhead were involved it this. God the Father designed it; the Holy Spirit conceived Himself in Mary and Christ delivered it in person. But it was a gift with many parts.
Christ’s coming revealed the heart and character of God the Father to us in human form. He showed us how God had planned our lives to be perfect and in constant fellowship with Him. He set an example for us to follow once we received salvation, and He paid the penalty for our sin once and for all!
Salvation brought us forgiveness, restoration and adoption into the family of God. It allowed us to receive spiritual life and the ability to receive the Holy Spirit so that we could live above sin. Salvation came as a gift that we can never repay or claim any credit for. It came in the life, death and resurrection of Christ. It came at Christmas.
Christ brought us access to God the Father with His power and authority in the form of the Holy Spirit. He told us we could do even greater things than He did while He was on earth through the power of the Holy Spirit. [I think that is one Christmas gift we have often left wrapped under the tree.] The power of the Holy Spirit is often lacking in our lives because we do not claim or use it.
‘For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.’ Again, as in other passages, we see both a promise and a warning. God said it, I believe it, and that settles it is an often-used statement. And though it speaks truth, unless we really understand it, we miss the mark.
The Lord said that nothing can change it or keep it from happening. God is the ultimate authority whether or not we accept that fact. God said the Messiah would come and He came. God has said He will come again in power and glory and He will. God’s promises are sure and that is a comfort to us. But those outside of Christ need to take warning. Christ will surely come again as Victor and Judge. Those who do not know Him will be judged and sent away from His presence forever. The enemy of the soul will be forever destroyed and we will live victorious with Him eternally.
We need to lift up Christ year-round and especially at Christmas if we want to be sure ‘all flesh shall see’ Him. We need to be bearers of the gift Christ brought and still brings to all who will accept it.
Did you notice that this verse gives us something we can do when we consider what Christmas is all about? We can show our thankfulness with sacrifices and songs of joy. In the original the ‘sacrifice of thanksgiving’ was worship and adoration declared by a choir. Today we often raise our hands in praise; thankfulness and at times we may even give a clap offering. This is what it means to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
The songs of joy here are identified as ones that ‘tell all the He has done’. This is our praise choruses, hymns and the carols that tell the story of Christmas. I think it is wonderful that God is pleased when we worship Him with song and music.
As we look back we see that the gift of Christ that led to the celebration of Christmas was a grand and awesome thing. It was greater than our comprehension and far beyond our abilities. But it is not only glorious in its scope and vision, but it is wrapped in the unfathomable riches of God’s unending love for us… a gift greater than any given before Christ or since.
If we are truly wanting to celebrate this Season in the grandest style, we must stop and really consider what Christ’s coming brought and the vastness of its meaning. Then we must truly recognize how much of our lives He controls and be sure it is all of it. Finally, we must sing and dance and laugh and celebrate, bringing our sacrifice of thanksgiving for all Christmas means not just to us but to the whole world. Let’s not let them take Christ out of Christmas.

Week Four
Joel 2: 12,13 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, ‘Turn to me now, while there is yet time! Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief; instead rend your hearts. Return to the Lord your God for He is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger, and of great kindness and is eager not to punish you.’
As we make our last minute preparations for this holiday let us continue to focus on what Christmas truly means to not only us but to all the world. It seems appropriate to consider these verses this last week before celebrating Christ’s Coming.
Yes this passage is about repentance and returning to God when we have wandered off from Him, but I believe it also refers to the lost and our attitude towards their lost state. What better gift could we give someone than to lead them to Christ and watch, as He becomes their Saviour and Lord?
The first thoughts that come to mind are the questions…How much more time do we have before He comes again? Are we doing all we can to help others receive the gift of Salvation that Christ brought when he came in Bethlehem? Do we grieve for those who do not know Him? Think about those you know and are dear to you that are not yet part of His family. Pray for them and watch for ways to help them ‘see’ so that this Christmas can be a time of celebration for them, for you and for heaven.
Day 18 Sharing the Story
As we unpack this passage we have some serious thoughts to continue even as we have already.
While there is yet time seems like it should make us as busy for Him as we are in these last minute preparations for Christmas. People’s souls are far more valuable and important than anything we do to celebrate Christmas.
Fasting, weeping and mourning …What sacrifices do we make to help others see Christ and find Him? Fasting is a means to open our spiritual senses and to see clearer with our spiritual eyes. It involves denying the physical in order to enhance the spirit. We often attribute fasting to going without food but it is so much more. What do we give up, whether time, pleasure, money or any other physical object in order to show our seriousness in seeking to lead the lost to Christ?
Our gift of fasting may be supporting a ministry that seeks to share the gospel with the lost. Or perhaps it means to work at a homeless food kitchen where our labor is showing how important each person is to God. He loves them just as much as He loves us. If you look you will find ways to do without in order to open others to Christ and salvation.
We should truly weep over the lost. Do we really want others to find Christ at Christmas and every other day of the year? Consider the last time you shed tears over someone you knew that didn’t know Christ. Mourning is being in pain and agony. It is a strong emotion over someone or something that is lost. Do we feel that strong of feelings when we consider how many will go through this Christmas season and miss what it is really all about. We should mourn for the lost all during the year as well. Remember life ends and eternity begins. And eternity is forever. There are NO do overs.
Don’t tear your clothing, rend your heart…I think this says we aren’t to just speak the words or act the part, but really feel with deep spiritual or even physical pain, for those outside of Christ. It is easy for us to spout the words, to pray for the lost and to go on our way thinking we have done our part. But…if we really felt the pain of what lies ahead for those who do not receive salvation through Christ, we would be different.
We would act different, we would be open to ways we could lift up Christ that others might see Him in us and His hand in the world around us. [John 12:32] It is Christmas and Christ’s first coming opened the door to the grace, mercy, great kindness and forgiveness spoken of in the rest of this passage. If we want others to really enjoy what Christmas is all about we have to make sure we really care about them and that they can see Him evident in our lives.
Advent is not only about His first coming but it is the looking forward to His Second Coming. Just as we prepare to celebrate His first at Christmas, we should be preparing for His Second Coming…and that may be sooner than we realize. We need to consider how ready are we. Are we doing all we can to point others to Him both now and for eternity?
As we gather to celebrate this wonderful season when God sent true ‘peace on earth and goodwill to men’, let us not forget why we are so blessed. Let us purpose in our hearts to seek ways to put Christ back into Christmas not just for ourselves but for the world. Let’s make it a point to fill our lives this New Year with His Presence so that ‘All flesh shall see Him’.

Day 19 Taking One More Look
As the holiday is fast approaching let's review all that we have talked about in these days before Christmas. Advent means ‘coming’ Jesus’ birth was the ‘coming’ of…a promise God made back in the Garden of Eden. Christmas is a time to remember that God is faithful and right on time. We often think that He has forgotten us, as many in the Old Testament must have felt, but He didn’t forget them and He doesn’t forget us either.
Once more we see Advent as a time of preparation for a coming event. Each year we begin decorating for Christmas shortly after Thanksgiving. Anticipation builds as trees and lights go up and packages appear under the tree. But just what are we looking forward to?
Christmas Eve arrives and everyone goes to bed anxious for the first rays of dawn. Anxious to see how well our gifts are received…those special things we carefully chose for each one on our list. And shortly after all the packages have been broken into, the only thing left is the clutter on the floor. Have we somehow forgotten that Christmas isn’t about us and our gifts---it’s about God and His Gift to us?
Christmas is the arrival of a Promise kept. A promise filled with wonder. A promised gift that carries many parts. This is the true Gift of Christmas and Jesus’ coming fulfilled the Promises of God to mankind.
Think about the things we have talked about and as we face the last days see if these thoughts tie all these thoughts up into a bright bow. Tomorrow is a review of the traditional thoughts of Advent
Day 20 Starting at the Beginning--A Promise of Hope
Romans 8:22 [NIV] We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
When Adam and Eve chose to disobey the Lord’s command and eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they opened a Pandora’s Box of tragedies. Not only did sin take root in the heart of man, but death also. The whole earth was cursed because of man’s sin. Romans 8:22 tells us that the whole earth groans in the pain of sin waiting for redemption. That redemption will only come with Christ’s Return.
If God had left us in the state we fell when Adam and Eve disobeyed we would have no hope. But God promised hope throughout the Old Testament. Hebrews 11: 13 tells us that the Patriarchs of the Old Testament died without receiving the promise but believing that God would keep His word regarding Christ’s coming. They had a hope that carried them through even though they themselves never saw the Promise come. We on the other hand, live in the gap between the First Coming of Christ and His Second Coming. Christmas should be a time when we celebrate both these Advents.
The hope God promised was one that gave us total forgiveness of sin, adoption into His family making us equal heirs with Christ, and the ability to live above the power of sin. A hope that promised to provide all our needs thru Christ in this life, [Philippians 4:19] and an eternal future where even our wildest imaginations cannot begin to conceive. [1 Corinthians 2:9]
Today many faint for lack of hope, especially around the holidays. Yet the promise of hope is available to all. This promise was delivered and all we need do is accept it. Daily we read about those that have taken their lives because they see no way out of their particular situation. They have no hope. Perhaps they have never heard about Christ and the gift of hope He brings. Perhaps they chose to reject or ignore this gift. Either way the consequences are dire.
We should stop and consider-- do we recognize that Jesus is the promise of hope delivered? It is a gift that does not diminish with use. Is there a package under your mental Christmas tree that contains hope? Think of ways to give this gift not only during this Season but throughout the year.
Day 21 Freedom and Sonship
This is the time we think about what Christ’s birth ushered in. It was the beginning of a new age and relationship. We know that during the time before Christ, the believers in God worshiped Him with sacrifices and external rituals. They were separated from the presence of God by the Holy of Holies. But after Christ’s death, that separation was removed and we can boldly address the Father, with reverence, because of Christ’s perfect sacrifice at Calvary.
But not only did we receive forgiveness of sin, but freedom from its power over us. This is one gift I believe we have left wrapped far too long! The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within our spirit when we become a Christian. He has the ability to keep us from sin. Scripture tells us that Christ has freed us from sin. [ Romans 6:6,7 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. We no longer have to serve it .]
However, that doesn’t mean we cannot choose to sin or do wrong. For as we continue the above passage verses 11- 14 warns us not to ‘yield’ ourselves as instruments of sin. That word yield says we have a choice. Before Christ, sin was dominate, but after it is a defeated foe even as Satan is defeated. Somehow we have failed to grasp this fact and thus we live mediocre lives as Christians instead of the abundant one He brought [John 10:10] Christ brought us freedom from sin and a life abundant, but more than that He brought us sonship.
Romans 8:14-17 spells it out in plain words…we are children of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Joint-heirs don’t just have equal shares; each owns 100% of the heritage. Jesus even told us that the things He did were less than the deeds we could do under the control of the Holy Spirit. [John 14:12] Once again I must ask... are we opening all the gifts that God sent when Jesus came? Do we act like children of God? Do we ask our heavenly Father for the things we need or just what we want?
Day 22 A Promise, Yet to be delivered.
Acts 1:11NIV1 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
This time of year we like to focus on the first promise—Jesus’ Birth. But that First Promise opened the way for the fulfillment of the Second Promise. [see John 14:1-7] Christ promised to come back for us once He finished preparing a place for us. In Acts 1:11 God affirmed this promise by His angels. He wanted us to be sure we knew that He was coming back for us. This is the Second Advent. We also need to remember that Jesus is not the little baby in the manger but has become the Lamb of God, Savior of the World.
At Christmas we should celebrate the birthday of Christ but also revel in the fact that one day He is coming back for us. Like the Patriarchs of old we may not be alive when He returns but that shouldn’t stop us. Even as many of them died without seeing Christ come the first time, we can live and die joyful in the fact that He will return someday. [see 1Corinthians 15:51, 52 & 1Thessalonians 4:13-18] We are told to ‘comfort’ one another with this. Comfort here means to find delight and joy in this promise…To celebrate together in anticipation of what is to come.

Day 23 A Better Way for All.
1 Corinthians 12:31NIV Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Since Christmas is about gifts and giving, it is good to remember those that God has offered us. We need to collect these gifts that will carry us through this season and next year too. 1Corinthians 12:31 tells us to covet the best gifts and promises that show us a more excellent way. Remember this verse immediately leads directly into the chapter on love. This love is agape; unconditional love. That is who Christ is… unconditional love personified.
Chapter 13 ends by saying the greatest thing is agape love. Think about that for a minute. Love was the motivation behind all that God has done, is doing, and will continue to do. He loves us and desires an intimate relationship with us. That relationship will cause us to live the promise of a better way.
Philippians says, ‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus’. In fact the whole chapter begins talking about a mindset that chooses to hold others higher than one’s self. Jesus not only gave us an example of what agape love looked and acted like, He provided the means for us to attain that better way though salvation’s plan.
John 15: 12-14 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Woman’s Day had an article in the December 2nd issue about 2 churches that practice agape love all year long. One is large, the other small, but each one is equal in God’s eyes. They practice a mindset that helps them live the better way.
That is the Secret to living the better way, it is a deliberate choice to practice agape love based on deliberate actions not on feelings. The article talks about the fact that these churches do not think it too much to give of their time, talents or means to practice agape love.
Christ is the gift that brings us the ability to live the Promise of a Better Way. The world is looking for that promise of a better way especially amidst the present events. We can bring this gift to others as we practice agape love at home and in public. They will see that we have something that gives us joy in spite of the present circumstances. They will be drawn to Christ as they see His image in our lives.
He came to bring us a better way, the way of agape love, His kind of love. We need to reflect on that.
Day 24 Something to Remember
Isaiah 49:16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hand.
I think Charles Spurgeon expressed this verse in his quote. It is worth repeating.“It doesn’t say your name..,[it says] I have engraved you…I have engraved your person, your image, your situation,, your circumstances, your sins, your temptations, your weaknesses, your wants, your works, I have engraved you, everything about you, all that concerns you. I have put you altogether there.”
The world governments are working to create a ‘blanket plan’ that will fix the crisis facing us. A group plan that will re-establish order and prosperity, but God has never worked that way. He cares about you and I individually. He deals with us on our personal level of understanding, openness to Him, and spiritual health. He doesn’t make us into ‘cookie cutter’ images of each other, but desires to make us into the divine original He created us to become.
We are engraved on His Hand because we are Special and unique, created in His image to glorify Him. Christ’s birth gave back our Godly Heritage. It was not a selfish act but one where God desires to show us off to the world, His child. There is no one else like you or me. Christ desired us to know how much our Heavenly Father loves us and so He came that first Christmas to remind us of all that we are and can be in Him.
Tomorrow is Christmas, take time to reflect on the facts that Jesus not only brought us Hope, a Better Way to live, but a Life and Purpose unique and individually created for each of us. God engraved us on the palms of His hands so that we should never forget He loves us and is ever conscience of us individually. That's what makes this holiday so Special.
All the preparations we have been making will be over. Someday Christ will return and all of life as we know it will end. How we spent our life will tell how well we prepared for eternity. As you enjoy tomorrow's celebration take time to see how well you have prepared for that Second Advent of Christ.
I hope this devotional has been challenging and uplifting this year.

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