A Child Is Born
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and
the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
Meditation
This is the time of year when we’re busy planning
holiday dinners and parties. Get-togethers with family and friends. We spend a
disproportionate amount of time shopping or thinking about what we hope others
will be shopping for us. We have become preoccupied with what society has
turned the birth of Jesus into; a worldwide shopping spree. This season is
kicked off on Thanksgiving weekend with Black Friday, followed closely by Cyber
Monday. Is it wrong for us to buy gifts for our loved ones? Are Christmas
dinners and parties wrong? Of course not, but if that’s the entire focus, then
that’s a problem.
Today, as we happily give our gifts to each other,
let’s not forget why we’re even gathered together today. If it weren’t for the
birth of the Christ child, December 25th would be just another cold
winter day even though he most certainly was not born on this day. Maybe
society would have come up with a reason to share gifts with each other, like
we do on Christmas, had Jesus not been born. Most unbelievers don’t see the
correlation between God giving us the gift of his Son and us giving each other
gifts.
God’s gift to us changed everything! The Son of God
was the most important gift ever given to us. A few years ago, I heard a sermon
that contained the phrase, ‘Don’t forget to unwrap Jesus this Christmas.’
That’s the gift we should cherish the most but the one we most often forget. We
get caught up in shopping, preparing meals and making plans for a get together
to enjoy this holiday with family and friends. Many of us get stressed out,
planning holiday gatherings, shopping for the perfect gifts, and often worrying
how we’re going to pay for them in January.
The reason for this season isn’t the hustle and bustle
that society has foisted upon it. We don’t have to be stressed about the gifts
we’ve bought or depressed about the ones we didn’t receive. Instead, our first thoughts
for this day and every day should be thankful praises to our Father in heaven
for giving us a gift that cost him his only Son. God loves us so much he
sacrificed a part of himself to pay the price for our sins. Jesus was born to
be our savior and to die on the cross and be raised from the dead. He now sits
at the Father’s right hand, waiting for us to accept his gift of salvation.
Prayer Time
Father God your plan from the beginning of time was to give us the greatest of all gifts, your Son, Jesus. Oh, what a glorious morning that must have been, Father. The babe that would save the world, your only Son, was born. Even if it didn’t happen on this date, this is a time for us to remember the birth and eventual sacrifice of Jesus. Lord, help us all to resist the urge to make this day all about giving and receiving presents and more about receiving your gift. Thank you for the greatest gift ever given. Thank you, Lord, for coming down to us, not as a brutish god of war, but as a helpless babe who would grow up to become our savior. How much more could you do for us? To be born and then die as a sacrifice for all, was a magnificent gift in itself, but then you rose again from the grave to be the first fruits of the resurrection. Forgive us, Father, if we ever make light of the meaning of this season. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!
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