So
the stores already have all of the Christmas merchandise out, the
holiday season is upon us! There is planning, shopping, cooking, and
decorating, and even MORE SHOPPING to be done! The holidays sure can be
overwhelming, are you feeling a little bit stressed?
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, and forget what it’s really all about. Luke 10:38-42 tells us about a woman who did just that:
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.”
You see, Martha found herself overwhelmed by the preparations she felt were required of her. But Jesus was not so concerned about the meal and the niceties; Jesus desired fellowship. What He wanted was for them to put everything else aside and sit at His feet. Mary was not shirking her chores, she was seeking the heart of God. And Jesus says she had chosen the best part.
I hope that this holiday season you, too, will choose the best part. Take time to relax and spend time with your family. Before we dive into the increasingly commercialized Christmas hubbub, take time to remember what Thanksgiving is about. Thank God for His divine provision and preservation, for bringing us safely through another year. Take the time to enjoy fellowship with your loved ones and thank God for one another.
And when Christmas time really comes, consider celebrating it a little differently this year. Christmas is not about fancy things and spending lots of money. It is about God with us. Not as a conquering king, but as the humble son of a carpenter. Not the way we expected, not with armies and wealth to rule and reign; He humbled Himself to live among us, He came to suffer and die. And that is how He saved the world. He lived among us and showed us the way, and in due time He offered Himself up for us.
So this year, maybe we should spend a little less on impressive ornaments and displays and expensive gifts. Focus instead on giving ourselves, our time and attention, to the ones we love. Give more presence, rather than presents. And set aside some of what you might have spent to help those less fortunate. Surely you remember how Jesus loved the poor and cared for the orphans and widows. He even said, “Just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.” So set something aside this year to give Jesus a birthday gift.
I pray that God blesses all of you with a wonderful holiday season, free of stress and full of fellowship with the ones you love. May He keep your hearts and minds as we seek Him and become transformed into the image of Christ.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, and forget what it’s really all about. Luke 10:38-42 tells us about a woman who did just that:
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.”
You see, Martha found herself overwhelmed by the preparations she felt were required of her. But Jesus was not so concerned about the meal and the niceties; Jesus desired fellowship. What He wanted was for them to put everything else aside and sit at His feet. Mary was not shirking her chores, she was seeking the heart of God. And Jesus says she had chosen the best part.
I hope that this holiday season you, too, will choose the best part. Take time to relax and spend time with your family. Before we dive into the increasingly commercialized Christmas hubbub, take time to remember what Thanksgiving is about. Thank God for His divine provision and preservation, for bringing us safely through another year. Take the time to enjoy fellowship with your loved ones and thank God for one another.
And when Christmas time really comes, consider celebrating it a little differently this year. Christmas is not about fancy things and spending lots of money. It is about God with us. Not as a conquering king, but as the humble son of a carpenter. Not the way we expected, not with armies and wealth to rule and reign; He humbled Himself to live among us, He came to suffer and die. And that is how He saved the world. He lived among us and showed us the way, and in due time He offered Himself up for us.
So this year, maybe we should spend a little less on impressive ornaments and displays and expensive gifts. Focus instead on giving ourselves, our time and attention, to the ones we love. Give more presence, rather than presents. And set aside some of what you might have spent to help those less fortunate. Surely you remember how Jesus loved the poor and cared for the orphans and widows. He even said, “Just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.” So set something aside this year to give Jesus a birthday gift.
I pray that God blesses all of you with a wonderful holiday season, free of stress and full of fellowship with the ones you love. May He keep your hearts and minds as we seek Him and become transformed into the image of Christ.
