This day’s reading Psalm 46:10 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Matthew 18:2-4 2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Devotional Inspired by The Heart of Christmas by Matthew West It’s ironic that December is always the busiest month of the year. There are gifts to be bought, trees to be trimmed, parties to be hosted and tables to be set. It seems there’s never enough time to get it all done. What should be a joyful season of celebration becomes a stressful season full of unrealistic expectations and commercialism. Instead of making time for reflection, we fill our December with a string of to-do items and holiday functions, rarely even taking time to rest. Isn’t that just like Satan? Robbing us of every spare minute we might have to realize the true meaning of Christmas? Yet, every year Christmas remains a call to stop, reflect, rest and stand in awe of the One it’s all for. The world can get really still beneath the glow of tiny twinkling lights. And if we take the time to listen, we can hear His still, small voice telling us what it’s all about. In the shadow of a steeple/ In a star that lights the way/ You will find Him in a manger/ The heart of Christmas has a name. He tells us to give. To laugh. To love. To remember. He calls us to marvel at the wonder that’s wrapped up in a tiny newborn lying in a manger. Son of God, Son of Man. The greatest of gifts in human flesh. For you, for me, for all the world. Let’s make it feel the way it used to/ Let’s find that wonder of a child/ You can see the magic all around you/ Come on, and open up your eyes. Year after year, His message is the same: Come. Rest. Live. Love. Like a child. This Christmas, be still. Rest in His promises. Ready yourself for the New Year. Keep the ones you love close, and cherish every moment. Allow yourself to bask in the wonder of the season and experience it all through the eyes of His child. “And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthew 18:2-4, ESV) Me: Come to Him like children.. Its a concept Ive thought on over the years. I wonder sometimes what it means. Come to him with open hearts and minds? Come to him with the innocence of a child? Its a lot to think about but its also the best way to come to Jesus. This season as the devotional touches on, is full of stress, lost tempers, depression, and hurt feelings. We allow our hearts and minds to wander away from the true meaning behind Christmas. We worry more about decorating, baking, buying and getting presents. We need to come back to the beginning of Christmas. Back to that manger and the miraculous birth that happened that night. A simple humble birth that the very heavens, and angels, heralded bringing the shepherds to see the new born babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger. Food for though, God chose the birth of Jesus to happen in a small unimportant town, in a small barn like building that was probably out of the way of everyone. And he chose to bring the simplest of people to see His son, shepherds. Like most of us, they werent rich and in many peoples eyes didnt matter. But God chose them of all people. https://youtube/watch?v=ASJktrBObrI
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 17:53:41 +0000
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