“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.”
Into Our Midst . . .
With lights twinkling and sleigh bells jingling, the sights and sounds of Christmas are here.
It’s a special time of year. Trees sparkle in living room corners. Garlands glisten across fireplace mantles. Candles flicker on Advent wreaths.
Most Christmas traditions include gift-giving of some sort too. Perhaps your family opens presents on Christmas Eve. Or maybe your family waits until Christmas morning.
Our traditions may vary, but we enjoy giving gifts to our loved ones because it’s a way of remembering the greatest Gift ever given to us — Jesus Christ, wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.
Jesus came. He came to give us joy and hope and peace.
Best of all, He came to give us eternal life in His presence. Jesus doesn’t give as the world gives either. His gifts can never be returned to a store. They can’t ever be taken back.
God’s gifts are eternal because He is eternal.
He is our joy.
He is our hope.
He is our peace.
As we enter this Christmas season — undoubtedly with lots of things on our to-do lists — let’s remember to invite the Giver into our midst, each and every moment.
For He is the reason we celebrate. Because He is Who we celebrate.
Jas says
Thank you for the most important reminder to remember to invite God in and remember the gift of Jesus arrival into this world for along with his arrival presents true love deeper than we all can truly truly fathom and with Jesus’s departure from this world provides the gift of eternal life. I pray I can share in this love this season, by showing that love to my children, my family and myself and those around me, I hope to feel truly connected with God and be very close with Him.
Laurie Pascarella says
May we embrace His Presence and All His presents; His awesome gifts to us, His Beloved Children! May He help us all to walk worthy of the amazing gift and privilege of being sons and daughters of The One True King, born this day, to die, for our sin…past, present, and future. All praise, honor, glory, worship, and adoration to The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, born in a stable, to die on The Cross, where He who knew no sin became sin for us,we have been redeemed by His precious blood…The Lamb Of God who takes away the sin of the world….Amen. Eternity with Jesus…a gift more than I could ever dream of … And certainly don’t deserve. The amazing Love and Grace of God through His Son…
It is Him we celebrate, not only during this season, but every single day. May we always thank Him in all things and give Him all the glory…forever…for only He is worthy.
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Denise,
He is WHO we celebrate. If we had a birthday party and everyone at the party paid attention to everything else but us, we’d be offended. This, I believe, is what we do with Jesus. We get so wrapped up in the party that we forget just WHO it is for…Who we need to celebrate. Praying that I would I would keep my eyes on the One who deserves my attention and devotion this season. Thanks for a much needed reminder.
Blessings,
Bev
Beth Williams says
AMEN! I don’t like the commercialism of Christmas and thus don’t look forward to the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I just wish we, as a nation, would focus more on Jesus and less on buying, getting, having and making a buck!!
Blessings my friend!!
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Beth,
Joining with you in keeping our eyes on Advent and not on advertising and sales…Blessings to you sweet friend…
B xx
Beth Williams says
Denise,
This is a special time of year to celebrate what Jesus did for us! He left the splendor of Heaven and came down to this broken world! Two songs I’m reminded of are: Happy Birthday Jesus & Leaving Heaven by Matthew West. They speak my sentiments!!
Have a blessed Sunday!
Meg Bucher says
Thank you for sharing. Christmas warms my heart. We are blessed with the honor of celebrating a birth that many waited centuries to see come to pass. Our sweet Jesus as a babe…can you even imagine how Mary and Joseph felt on that day?!? It gives me chills!
Happy Christmas!
Megs
Lovelle says
This is so good Denise! I am 22 years old and I had never heard that Christmas gift analogy. I know it’s silly. I always wondered if giving gifts was taking it off of Christ and you made me see it in a whole new way. Thanks for that!
Rebecca Jones says
We should be celebrating Jesus every day, it is important to remember that He is our love, joy, and peace, not like the world’s gifts at all. We can exchange them with Him everyday, not standing in some line. I was once in a line with a lady returning an ornament, she demanded the $6.00, the cashier could only do $1.75, it was a clearance item. She tossed it down, “Keep it! ” Don’t waste your time or money on giving people things they don’t want or need, even children. Let’s give Jesus this year, let the Prince of Peace reign.