Read:
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
~Luke 2:9-11
Consider:
I love the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Each year, I look forward to watching it during the Christmas season. I love watching the Grinch transform from a miser who hates Christmas and attempts to steal everyone’s joy, to a generous giver to everyone around him. While the movie doesn’t tell us exactly why the Grinch hates Christmas, it provides some a few possible reasons. Click on the link below for a peek at those reasons:
While we may know in our heads that Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, for many of us, this season is filled with sorrow and pain. The holidays become a painful reminder of what once was, especially for those who have experienced a significant loss such as the death of a loved one or a painful break-up. It is also a time when many people question the quality of their relationships. Maybe this is you. I know there have been past Christmas seasons where I was more apt to greet with a “Bah, Humbug!” than a “Merry Christmas!”
When I find myself feeling much like the Grinch, resenting those around me who are joyful and celebrating the season, I realize it’s time to pause and refocus my attention to the true reason for the season…Jesus!
God has given us the greatest gift in his son, Jesus.
“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
Jesus offers Himself to us. As we turn our focus to the gift God gave to us, our perspective changes. We can’t always change our situation, but we can change our perspective.
When the Grinch changed his perspective, his attitude changed as well. Take a look at what happens by clicking the link below:
What is your focus as we move into the Christmas season? Are you focused on what is missing in your life or are you focused on the greatest gift you have already receieved…Jesus? Turn your heart to the heart of Christmas—Jesus. Make him your focus and allow God’s generosity to flow through you to everyone you encounter this holiday season.
Pray:
Our Heavenly Father, the holidays can bring so many conflicting emotions. Festivities surround us, yet our hearts at times are filled with sorrow. We miss loved ones who have left us. Some of us feel deep disappointment in our current relationships. Conflicting emotions swirl in our hearts and we find it difficult to express gratitude to you and to others. Help us today to turn our focus to You. You gave us the greatest gift in Your Precious Son. Change our perspective today, Lord. Transform us into generous givers who reflect your generosity to others! In Jesus name we pray…Amen!
Today’s post was written by Michele Barnes.
Michele is married to the love of her life, Jeff. She has 3 grown children and 1 very sweet new grandson! Most days you can find Michele laughing with good friends, working with numbers, writing, or working with women. In the evenings, she enjoys spending time in a few creative outlets like creative lettering, drawing, and pottery. She loves snuggling with her dog, Tebow, and reading. But her most recent passion is snuggling with her sweet, new grandson and gazing at his precious face and bright smile! You can find her most weekends worshiping at our Real Life Clermont campus.