Thanksgiving and Contentment

"give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread." Proverbs 30:8  

Quite a counter-cultural statement, isn't it? It doesn't sound very aspiring. It doesn't paint a picture of someone climbing the proverbial ladder of success, and it doesn't exactly seem like someone who thinks they will become financially blessed by God because they have faith stronger than the next person. It doesn't sound like someone who has read the latest Christian self-help book. And it doesn't exactly sound very American, or very "Christian" for that matter.     

Contentment is a bad word during this time of year. I mean, isn't that the antithesis of what holiday is all about? Does it represent what the real motive in the act of giving? For many, the holiday season is not really about what "they" want, but rather about what "we" can get. Let's face it. That's the essential motive of all Christmas advertising. Companies rely on the restless discontented spirit of Americans and hone in on that one question that many of us ask ourselves, "What do I WANT?", 

Every year, it seems earlier and earlier that the stores begin packing the aisles with festive Christmas advertising, displays and Christmas themed products, which produces a mindset of over-consumption. Each and every year it begin well before Thanksgiving, which causes me to often wonder if we're gradually moving toward one single collective "Winter Holiday Season”, rather than two individual celebrations. Thanksgiving is basically rolled over by the Christmas steam engine. Kids find it boring and stores see it to be just an unprofitable holiday that is more obligatory rather than intentional. Just a low profit celebration stuck between the big money profits of Halloween and Christmas. A Speed bump.

When I was in college, my parents gave me an inspirational picture for Christmas that I eventually hung in my first office. The peaceful image was of a golden sunset silhouetted by a man in a kayak rowing across a calm glassy lake. Beneath the picture was the title Contentment, followed by a small caption that read, “When you can look at the past with pride and the future with hope, you can live comfortably with today”. It wasn't until many years later that I realized how true and essential these words really are.

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. - Philippians 4:11-13 

To quote the words of the Dali Lama, "If one's life is simple, contentment has come. Simplicity is extremely important to happiness. Having a few desires, feeling satisfied with what you have, is very vital: felling satisfied with just enough food, and shelter to protect yourself from the elements. And finally, there is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation."    

From these essential words of universal truth, we begin to realize that contentment is now. We have no real control over the past or the future. The only period of time that we can physically and spiritually live within is the present moment, and our present situations in life can only be made peaceful through a complete centered focus on the true inner-self, not on possessions. And does this not seem to be the essence of what being thankful is all about? It's no wonder that advertisers don't want our focus to be on thanksgiving and gratefulness. We just might grasp the essential meaning being grateful and not spend as much because we realize that we are truly content with what we already possess, not what we acquire.

As we celebrate this day of Thanksgiving, may we commit ourselves to actually being thankful; not just in the utterance of the word, in conversation or prayer, but in the  honest and spiritual act of giving thanks. Let us put our Christmas plans on pause. Take a break. In light of the recent challenges that we've faced in 2020; physically, financially and politically, it's not difficult to realize that we have much more to be thankful for than we may realize. If you have life, have a roof over your head and a tribe of family and friends surrounding you this day, you have more than you need be content. And if circumstances beyond your control have left you alone today, get in touch with me. You have a place around my collective table.

Celebrate Thanksgiving. Take some time to meditate on what it means to be thankful. Let us remember that contentment doesn't lie in the endless accumulation of possessions. Contentment lies in being infinitely thankful for what we have been given each and every day; whether good or bad. Contentment is living life within the now. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Contentment is real-time. Time is an illusion. Contentment is a continuous thankful spirit for each moment. Breathing in and out and focusing on the precious gift of life. Now. Contentment. Freedom. 

"Just become totally content and happy from within. Then you will get all you want." Shri Shri Ravi Shankar

Advent Reflections: December 15

Joy

“And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him,from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Luke 1:46-55

Reflection

As we continue our journey into the third week of Advent together, most of us just might be finally settling into the routine of the Christmas season. There may be a last minute gift to buy, a few decorations to set in the perfect place and a few meals to prepare, but more than likely, things are probably settling down into a more consistent pace of life. Perhaps we can all finally take a breath and relax, if only for a few minutes. These are important times. The times when we can reflect and meditate on what is most important in our lives. These are the times when joy begins to fill our hearts, and anxiety slips away just a bit.

When we read the words of today’s passage, often called Mary’s Song, it’s impossible to not feel the deep joy that she must have felt in uttering these words. She cannot contain the emotions that fill her soul as she calls out, praising the God from where her joy comes. Her joy is overflowing from deep within her, and she wants all who hear her to feel the same joy that she does. Even today, over two thousand years later, her cries of joy can be felt in these quiet moments of our Advent celebrations.

As with peace, joy is often misunderstood in today's culture. Joy is a lasting emotion that rests deep in the recess of our soul. As with peace, joy is not based on the circumstances or our day to day ups and down, but transcends the external, and rest deep within the internal of our true selves.

Let us take time to reflect on the blessings that God has given us and those we love. Let us hear the words of Mary that are just as true for us today as they were with her so long ago. They are true. They are real. They are now. Let them fill our hearts, our minds and our spirits.

Prayer

God, as we settle into the Christmas Season, allow our hearts to settle as well. Let our hearts be filled with peace and the same overwhelming joy that Mary felt so long ago. 

Amen

Imagine: What did John Lennon Know About the Kingdom?

A few years ago, a friend asked me to describe my picture of the Kingdom of God. Without hesitation, I replied, "John Lennon's song Imagine." He looked at me for a few seconds, as if waiting for the punchline and then laughed. I asked him what was so funny and he answered me rather arrogantly, "Come on! That's liberal idealism. Not the Kingdom of God."

So, do I think that the Kingdom of God is nothing more than a idealistic view of the world? Well, let's take a look at Lennon's words and see. 

                                                     Imagine there's no Heaven
 It's easy if you try 

No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

No Heaven? No Hell? Well, before you accuse me of heresy, let's think about this. Before the Fall of man, things existed exactly how God had intended them to be. Life, nature, people, the world and all that existed was the completion and perfection of God's Kingdom. There was no death, so the Earth was our home. Heaven was not something to look forward to. It was reality. Nothing better existed, apart from being God.  There was no need to want or seek anything more than we had. God lived among us. Earth was basically Heaven on Earth, created for man. When sin came into the world, the perfection of Heaven became flawed, thus our need to reside in Heaven after our bodies finally died. Again, it was not the way it was supposed to be. Jesus came into the world to change the path to something different. Something better. Something real.  Heaven became a necessity, a divine plan B until His return. Yes, there is a Heaven, but it was not where we were supposed to live until there was no other option. So yes, Imagine there's no Heaven. Imagine what the Earth was supposed to be like, because in it's essence, it was a reality.   

As for Hell, it was never created for us in the first place. See Matthew 25:41. For the follower of Christ, it shouldn't even be an issue because it was never intended to have anything to do with us. Within the Kingdom of God, Hell has no relevance to us because we would never experience it. If there is a Hell, personally I don't care because I choose to imagine the Kingdom without it.
       

Imagine there's no countries 
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

Countries only exist because we created them. Again, this is actually a symptom of the Fall of man and sin entering the world. See Genesis 11:1-9. In the Kingdom of God, no countries were ever intended. No borders, so no need for differences, division, war and reasons to dominate each other. No languages to separate us. No nationalities to isolate us. No superiority so that someone else is weaker or less of a human being. And yes, no religion; only a life spent experiencing the presence of the only God in complete unity.  "All the people, living life in peace." Yes! Imagine it!

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

Imagine that there is no need for possessions, because all we have and want comes from God. Imagine a life where we have no desire to have more than someone else. Imagine giving, without any desire to receive.  No keeping up with the Joneses. No need to worry about money. No power struggles. No selfish ambition or greed. No climbing the ladder of success. No retirement funds. No hunger. No poverty. No homelessness.  No healthcare. No "least of these" See Matthew 25:46 Simply imagine the entire world, living together and sharing everything we have and praising God every minute because He's provided everything we need. Not a bad thing to imagine, is it?

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Yes, you can say that I'm a dreamer, and many of you do. That's OK. But I don't think I'm the only one, am I? I think that each and every one of us have these desires for our world. Some of us may have buried them deep down inside, folded up in a file that reads: "Liberalism" "Socialism" "Utopian Nut Jobs" "Idealism"  Maybe it was thrown away all together. But were John Lennon's dreams for the world really that far off from what God wants for us all? I know nothing of his spiritual beliefs, and as far as I know, He didn't follow Christ. But does that make his vision an less real, pure or theological for that matter?
                    
What these words remind us is that it's OK to wonder what the world would be like if the Kingdom of God was here in it's fulfillment. It's what we were created for. It's how things were intended to be. And as followers of Christ, it's our responsibility. Because until Christ returns to earth one day, we're it. The Body of Christ, living and breathing in this fallen world. It's not the responsibility of governments, societies or UNICEF. Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom of God, we keep it going and advance it, and one day, hopefully soon, He will fulfill it. Is it easy? No. Is it realistic? No. Is it possible in? Not until Christ returns, but try. And we Imagine.           

Amen

While having coffee with a friend of mine last week, he shared with me a personal experience that he had while running and what the word "Amen" really means. As the repetitive nature of running is often conducive to simple thought, he began to ask what place the word actually has in our prayer and communion with God. We utter the word almost instinctively in conclusion of a prayer or use it when discussing something that we approve of. But how many of us have ever stopped to meditate on what the word really means? This got me thinking and my thoughts came to fruition this morning while listening to a conversation in Starbucks.

Two young men were having a discussion revolving around the recent execution of Edgar Tamayo in Huntsville last week. From the details, words and phrases of their conversation, I could tell that they were Christians. And I quickly came to the conclusion that they not only approved of the execution, but seemed to be somewhat joyful that this man was dead. As the conversation began to wind down and it was clear that their discussion was about to change gears, one man declared with finality, "Well, he's finally dead and that's one more illegal alien scum bag that we don't have to worry about anymore."  His friends response? "Amen!"

Amen. Think about that for a moment.  

The word has a Hebrew origin and basically means "so be it". It has developed in Christianity to express strong agreement and confirmation of the context of the prayer. With the declaration of "Amen", one is expressing that all that has been prayed for, asked for or uttered with thanksgiving, is being agreed with in the assumption that God approves, agrees and accepts your words as being in union with His perfect will. One could make the argument that from our perspective, prayer in it's purest form is uttering the words of God, assuming that His words would be the exact words that we offer to Him.

"Well, he's finally dead and that's one more illegal alien scum bag that we don't have to worry about anymore." 

"Amen!" 

My goal is not to debate the moral grounds of the death penalty or defend my personal beliefs. The argument can be theologically and Biblically defended from both sides of the issue. There are strong opinions from both perspectives and if approached from love and humility, I respect both views. But as with most issues within Christianity, my concerns rise more from the heart that guides a person to reach a certain perspective, rather than the complexities of the issue itself.

The conversation that I overheard this morning really had nothing to do with support or opposition of the death penalty. Obviously, these two men supported the capital punishment and I respect their freedom to hold that belief. What I don't support is the apparent hatred of this man and the celebration of his death, rather than isolating their emotions to his actions. What I don't support is the "amen" that God would somehow celebrate an execution, preceded by a pattern of death by a man who God loved as much as He does you and I.

We live in a dark world and a culture that sometimes seems to be consumed by death. We witness evil and the results that come from evil actions. Unfortunately, we do not always have complete control of what our eyes see and what our hearts ingest. We process what we experience, filter the information and emotions and decide how we will outwardly react. We can choose to allow our pain to cause us to react with anger and hatred, thus perpetuating the cycle of pain for others. Or we can choose to shut down the cycle, healing what has been broken and loving when it's hard.  Our emotions can lie, but they can never keep us from externally expressing truth. What would that look like? How would our culture change?

Can I get an amen?





     

CEOs

Last year on my way to Christmas Eve service, I remember listening to the local Christian radio station while sipping on a cup of coffee and trying to clear my head of the typical Christmas commercialism onslaught. I was listening not necessarily for the "Christian" music, (I'm not a big fan of contemporary Christian music), but they were playing Christmas music all throughout December and being Christmas Eve, I was feeling festive. Everything just seemed right with the world and that nostalgic Christmas atmosphere filled my car as I drove. The sun was setting, casting an orange, red and purple aerial landscape that transported me to on of those peaceful moments that you wish you could bottle for later use. That was until the DJ made this comment. "You know, tonight you're going to see a lot of CEOs at church,  Christmas and Easter only.  Let's make sure that we put our best foot forward and make them feel at home.  This may be the only time you run into these people, so let's show them what the love of Christ is all about."     

Sounds OK at first, right? What's wrong with that? Well, just for a moment, I'd like you to think about that statement. Especially if you're a follower of Christ, think about these words. Imagine that you are not a follower of Christ. Imagine that you're one of these "CEOs", and on your way to church with your family. Imagine that you decide to tune into the local Christian radio station because you've heard someone at work talk about it. Imagine that you're a mom or dad, and beginning to think that you're family needs something more spiritual in their lives. You're not sure what, but you're looking. You've been thinking about church more and more, and the Christmas Season has been convicting your spirit just a bit more. The New Year is coming up, and you're going to finally start visiting some churches; maybe with some Christian friends that invited you. Maybe you and your family have drifted away from church for a while, and you've finally decided to give it another shot. You might be a little nervous, but before you even walk in the front door, you've been called out. You've been put on the spot. They're talking about YOU.

You just heard yourself labeled as a "CEO". That was YOU the DJ was talking about.You've wife gives you one of those looks. Your husband sighs and glances back at the kids in the back seat. Your teenager says, "So, I guess we're one of those CEOs, huh?" You're one of "those" people. And when you walk into church in a few minutes, you and your family are going to be on center stage. You'll get the red carpet treatment because you're one of "them". Are you going to have to wear a name tag that says CEO? You're not going to feel too self conscious, are you? Thinking of turning the car around and just going home?       

You may have heard comments like this and didn't give it a second thought. I could have easily heard this and allowed it to go in one ear and out of the other. But for some reason, it caused me to pause and think about how the Church appears to the rest of the world. How do I appear to my non-Christian friends? What do they see from outside the walls of our buildings? What do they see in the neighborhoods, workplaces, homes and shopping centers? It caused me to stop and ask myself why we need to be reminded of things like this DJ referred to? Why does Christmas and Easter have to be when we "put our best foot forward"? Shouldn't we be doing this every day of the year? Should statements like this seem strange to our ears because it's a given for how we live our lives?    

Don't get me wrong, Christmas and Easter are wonderful times of the year.  In the Christian faith, they are considered holy days, and are times of conviction and reminding of what our faith is built on. But here's my point:  If we put on a show for people on 2 specific days of the year, will they be disappointed in what they see the other 363 days of the year? Should they see something different? Something real? Should our celebrations be consistent or just pseudo-worship on the "promotion" days? Is this really showing them the love of Christ, or are we just performing to get the "CEOs" in the front door? Is this the kind of mindset that we should have toward those that are outside the doors of our church?

Yes, I believe 100% that as believers in Christ, we are called to share our faith with those that don't know the gospel. We are all called to be on mission and spread the Good News to the entire earth. But what does that mean in a real and practical way?  Is it something we turn off and on, or is it something organic?  Something we live 24/7 because it's who we are, not what we do? Is it something irresistible to others to the point that there is no question of who we serve and what our faith is all about?   

If you are unfamiliar with the early New Testament Church, read the first few chapters of the book of Acts. The Church depicted in Acts 2 was a group of people that were "living" their faith in Jesus Christ. In Acts 2:42-47: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."  

These were people consumed by their faith in the risen Christ and could not contain it for one minute. They lived and breathed their faith in Christ. Yes, they preached the gospel and spoke truth to thousands of people, and the Bible tells us that thousands were coming to know Christ every day. It was literally an explosion of faith and the growth was astronomical. Truly, a revolution had begun in Jerusalem and the world would never be the same.

But this was not conditional. It was not a "one or the other" kind of thing. They were living an irresistible life that made others see that truth. Reality. Their words were backed up by their lives and actions. There were no "special" times to share the truth of Christ. It was Good News, not BS. There were no better times than others, because they were just living and sharing what they believed. No one told them to put their best foot forward when they walked outside, went to the Temple or market place. Both of their feet were the best and were always moving forward. They didn't see CEOs. They only saw people that they wanted to love as Christ loved them. The love they felt could not be contained. they loved because THEY were loved, not because they were told to love every once and a while.      

Advent reflections: 4th Sunday - 12/23/2012

“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Luke 1:30-33 (NIV)

Reflection

Sometimes it is in our darkest hour that we finally hear the words from God, “Do not be afraid.” We often go about our days, rushing from one place to another, feeling as though we are spinning our wheels. We attempt to conquer our to-do lists, but they end up longer than before. We pay one bill, and two more come in the mail. We finally “get there”, wherever that may be, only to realize that we are utterly and completely lost. This is the point that many of us know all too well:  the point of complete exhaustion. The point when we feel as if we can’t take another step. We can’t handle another responsibility or deal with another disappointment, and then…

Through the silence. Through the pauses for a deep breath. Through the anxiety and fear. We 

hear it. “Do not be afraid.” You’ve heard it, haven’t you? The voice of God? The voice that calls out to you when you feel as if the final wave has crashed over you, and no amount of strength will bring you to the surface? You hear it. “Do not be afraid,” and suddenly, when you least expect it, you feel the peace that goes beyond your understanding. You realize that He is there, He loves you and you have found favor with Him. 

It’s easy to imagine that Mary may have been in a place like this. She had been going about her life as usual, trying to make ends meet and prepare for her marriage to Joseph. From what we know of this young couple, they didn’t have it easy. Life was not without struggles and fears and they had both probably accepted that their future would be bit of an upward climb. Needless to say, the Bible tells us that Mary was afraid when the Angel Gabriel appeared to her. But rather than first announcing to her that she would become pregnant, and that her baby would be God’s only Son, he focuses on Mary’s immediate need first. One of God’s children was afraid and He comforts her in the way only He can. “Do not be afraid.” 

           

Prayer

Lord, we thank You for comforting us when we need You the most. As the Angel Gabriel told Mary to not be afraid, let us hear those same words when we face fears, uncertainties and troubles in life.  Amen  

Where Was Your Fucking God?

"Where was your fucking God when those kids were being shot up?" I was asked this question this week in reaction to the shooting in Connecticut. Behind the question was much anger. Behind the question was sadness. Behind the question was a lack of faith and frustration. Behind the question was a human being, hurting and feeling just like all of us. I can imagine that many pastors would dismiss a question like that. Many would receive this as a personal attack or an attack on Christianity. Some might be offended by the language and refuse to acknowledge the emotion. Some might become angry and launch a counterattack, spouting various scripture verses that give the typical "Christian" answer. I felt none of this. For in my friend’s pain, anger and helplessness, I felt the same things. So, I chose to "feel" with him. 

"I don't have an answer for you. The world is a fucked up place." was my response to him. I shared with him that my faith has been shaken. I shared with him that I was angry as well and asked God the exact same question. He didn't need a theological dissertation and didn't need me to regurgitate Bible verses that gave him no consolation. He didn't need me to get angry with him and he surely didn't need me to judge him. He didn't need me to ask him to watch his language and didn't need me to negate what he was feeling. Like any of us who witnessed the horrors of Sandy Hook Elementary on Friday, he was angry, sad, discouraged and experiencing doubt. His feelings were real. They are real life. 

In my heart, I know where God was last Friday. I know that He exists and why these things happen. I know all the verses that theologically make sense of these events and I have a good idea of how this world works in relation to God. In reality, I know that these kinds of things have happened in the past and will happen again and again. And I know that every time they do, we will feel the same emotions. My intention is not to give an answer for why bad things happen. We've all asked this question, and in reaction to the events in Connecticut, many people have written blogs and posted ideas of why this happened and what the solution is to avoiding tragedy like this in the future. My intention is that as a follower of Christ, I want to be more like Him. And in my reflections on who He was and who I think he is, I ask myself the cliche question, "What would Jesus do?" Since I am not Him and he is just as much a mystery to me as He is my God, I can't answer that completely. What I can say, with 100% assiduity assurance?, is what Jesus would not do, and have an idea of what He might do instead. 

Jesus would not allow the events in Connecticut to make Him angry with people and their reactions. Instead, He would weep with those who are weeping. Jesus would not shut down and retreat Himself from the world, but would surround Himself with others that felt pain as well. Jesus would not choose to contradict Himself and encourage more violence, but would repeat His call for us to love our enemies. Jesus would not choose to hate the gunman, but continue to hate evil as He encourages all of us to do. Jesus would not choose to point His finger at others in blame, but would ask us all to point the finger at ourselves. Jesus wouldn't react in fear, but would trust in His Father in heaven and encourage us to do the same. Jesus wouldn't arm Himself, and He wouldn't judge someone if they did and would understand their fear. He wouldn't criticize gun control advocates, but would encourage them to make their points known with love, not anger. He would not blame the problems of the world on a lack of prayer in school, but ask parents why they don't pray at home. Jesus wouldn't play politics, but would remind us promote His Kingdom, where politics will not exist. Jesus wouldn't ask where His Father is or why He has forsaken the world, but would respond as He did when He faced torture and death; "Thy will be done."  

"Where was your fucking God?"  He was in a first grade classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary, taking bullets from a semi-automatic gun while embracing scared little kids. He was also with the children in thousands of other schools protecting them. He was preparing parents for overwhelming pain and He was giving courage to first responders. He was also with parents that were thanking Him that their children were safe. He was watching in shock, as we all began to realize the magnitude of this tragedy and He was welcoming those that died into His Kingdom. And He was with those who had no idea what was happening. He was weeping on the streets of the inner-city where other children were being shot and He was in poverty stricken places of the world where children are starving to death. He was also with those enjoying a late breakfast or early lunch. He was with you and me. He was with our children as well. He was there. He is there. He will be there.                     

Advent Reflections: Day 14 - 12/15/2012

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
Titus 3:4-7 (NIV)

Reflection

A gift given in love, is a gift received in love. Nothing is more exciting than giving the perfect gift that has been selected with love as its motivation. When it’s received and opened, that love is realized by the one receiving the gift, and fulfilled in the gift giver. In a cyclical pattern of giving, gifts are a catalyst of the love that we have for one another. What better way of describing the birth of Jesus Christ into the world than a “gift” to mankind?

Jesus was the encapsulation of God’s kindness and love. The gift of salvation, lovingly given to us, not because of anything we did to deserve it, but because His love outweighed any possible prerequisite. As with the gifts that we give each other at Christmas time, God expected nothing in return. We had to pass no test, or earn the right to receive our gift. The gift of salvation and eternal life in Christ were given in love and nothing more. All we must do is complete the perfect cycle of giving and receive God’s gift in love.

This Christmas, as we search for that perfect gift, let us do so with the love of Christ as our motivator. Let us spend time with each carefully selected gift, reminding ourselves of God’s deep love for us. A love so deep that He sent His Son, who appeared in Jesus, born on Christmas day. 

Prayer

Lord, we come to You today, thanking You for the perfect gift in Your Son, Jesus Christ. May each and every gift that we give this Christmas, be given with the same love that you express to us, in us and through us. 

  Amen