December 22, 2014
Christmas is an ideal time to rededicate ourselves to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the one who gave His life for us, that we might be connected to God. “He longs for that sweet communion, that union of heart with heart.” What a goal for each of us this Christmas—to recommit our lives and hearts to Jesus!
Another good goal would be to share the real meaning of Christmas with others by giving them the love of the Lord and His gift of eternal life. So many need the gospel of salvation! We can share a truly “Merry Christmas” by pointing others to the peace, happiness, and joy of the love of Jesus Christ. Give Jesus to others so that they, too, can give the Lord the gifts that He is most pleased with—the lives and hearts of men.
During the Christmas season, most people become more open to others and mindful of their needs. It’s a time of reflection, when many stop to think about the true values in life. Call it what you will: sentimentalism, nostalgia, or simply a good excuse to have a party. But in any case, Christmas is a time when people gather to celebrate, and people are often more receptive to the story of Jesus and why He came to earth.
Don’t let this golden opportunity to witness pass you by! Make it your personal goal to bring another soul within the circle of Jesus’ love.
During this Christmas season, let Jesus adorn your life with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It’s His birthday, but just as His being born on earth was a great gift to all of mankind, so He wishes to keep on giving His love, until it spreads throughout the earth.
Even as the Christmas tree is adorned with lovely, bright decorations, let Jesus fill your life with the beauty of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God will light up your life, so that you overflow with the beauty of Christ on to everyone you meet.
Despite the fact that the Christmas holiday is commercialized in many parts of the world today, Jesus calls us to rise above the commercialism and to carry His Christmas glow with us no matter what we’re doing. This can touch other lives, as we each do our part to change hearts and lives with our Savior’s Christmas love this year.
Let every day of this season be a wonderful cycle of exchanging gifts with Jesus. As you pause each morning to be filled with the gifts of the Spirit, you can then go throughout your day, giving Jesus the gifts He desires by spreading His love to those you meet. In turn, He has promised to bestow gifts of the Spirit upon you—love, joy, peace, happiness, courage to face problems, and the calming of your nerves. He has so much to give each of us, a never-ending supply of power and love to get us through the daily challenges of life.
Begin the cycle right now. Breathe deeply of the air of the Holy Spirit. Let this time be sacred between you and Jesus. Recommit yourself to Him this Christmas.
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Wouldn’t it be funny if on your birthday all your friends and family decided to celebrate it by giving each other presents and never gave you a thing? If Christmas is Jesus’ birthday, why don’t we give Him presents instead of just giving each other presents? And if it’s His birthday, instead of singing songs like “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” why don’t we sing “Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus” or “Silent Night” or some other beautiful Christmas carol that causes us to love and adore Him, the one who gave His all that we might live?—David Brandt Berg
As we are gathered in remembrance of Your birth, we lift up our arms in praise to You. Thank You, Jesus, for being willing to leave Your heavenly home. Thank You for coming down to earth to take on a mortal frame. Thank You for living and dying for us, for making the greatest sacrifice ever. We know we don’t deserve it, but we stand humbled in gratitude that You love us that much.
During this Christmas season, help us to pass on Your love. Help us to take advantage of this season, when people are more open to You, to spread Your love and truth. We don’t want to fail You, Lord. We want to give the true message of Christmas to all that we possibly can.
Thank You for this time that we can celebrate Your birth. Thank You for the blessings You have given us. You’ve taken such good care of us. You’ve given us friends and loved ones. You’ve supplied our needs, and even some of our wants.
We know that the beauty of this season is not in the material gifts that we give or receive, the parties we go to, or the decorations that we put up. The beauty of Christmas is in Your love that encompasses us. Help us to share Your love with others, and to take time to appreciate all that You’ve given us.
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Heavenly Father,
Christmas began
With the gift of Your Son,
Who in turn gave the world
The gift of His life.
Let me remember, O God,
That Christmas remains
A matter of giving,
Not parties, not presents,
Not material wealth,
For Christmas is Christmas
When I give of myself.
—By Van Varner
Jesus wants to wrap each one of us in eternal love and joy, and give us as a present to His Father.
Jesus was born into our world so that we could be reborn into His.
The best present in the world is love—God’s love—Jesus.
To be touched by the true spirit of Christmas is to be kissed by God.
Christmas is more than a day. It is more than a season. The truth of Christmas is the key to the whole meaning of life.
If You were a man of this world, Jesus, I would search high and low to find the most priceless treasure to please You with on Your birthday. But You are not a man of this world, and Your greatest delight is when I give You myself. So why should I be sparing with that gift?
Christmas celebrates a moment that changed the course of history, but it remains meaningless until it has changed the course of your life.
Christmas is when we celebrate the day You were born, Jesus—the day You left the beauty and safety of heaven to live in a world of sin and die at the hand of sinners. Help us to make that day worth it.
Long ago on a bed of hay,
A little newborn baby lay.
He lay quite still and didn’t cry,
But looked around with curious eye.
A little baby, sent to earth,
A very special kind of birth.
“But this is just a child we see.
Isn’t He as human as you and me?
Yet something’s shining in His face,
A sweet and tender look of grace.”
What is it in Him we see there?
His mother sits, and though we stare
And try to understand this wondrous child,
She only pats Him with a smile.
She has been told by heaven’s own
Of what will happen when He’s grown.
How He will teach and help and share
With all who love God and who care
To learn how they can love more, too.
He will have much work to do.
And He will leave her, this she knows,
As to His destined task He goes.
And then one day His life He’ll give
So those who trust in Him can live.
She knows all this and sighs within.
But His sacrifice will conquer sin
And pain and death and so much wrong.
This future promise makes her strong.
So she and we look at His face,
Smiling gently in His place,
And contemplate all that will be done
By this little one, God’s Child, His Son.
—Chloe West
Published by TFI in November 2001. Adapted and republished December 2014. Read by Debra Lee. Music taken from the Christmas Moments album. Used by permission.
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