12.25.2009
1 John 3:22 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. New American Standard Bible
Today another Christmas Day dawned and shortly after dawn we trooped out of our respective bedrooms out to the tree and opened our gifts with care to see if there was evidence of St. Nick having been there. He hadn’t been. but no one seemed to notice as long as there was gifts…
I got some things I wanted and I got some things I didn’t expect and though my family seems happy enough, I must confess I felt a certain hollowness in the whole process this year. Christmas isn’t about gifts. Christmas isn’t about merry and Christmas isn’t the most wonderful time of the year regardless of what’s toasting or roasting and caroling out in the snow; neither is it about scary ghost stories or tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago. (Our culture seems to have gone mad…)
I didn’t have a Christmas list this year, but I know what I want for Christmas: see above: and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the thing that are pleasing in His sight. (1 John 3.22) I want God’s holiness and my unflinching obedience to His will. I want the pull and promises of the world to diminish in my life, and I want to do the things that are pleasing in God’s sight. That’s what I want for Christmas. Probably not a popular thought with the Wal-Marts, Targets, Sears, and K-Marts of the world. Probably not a popular thought with the current Administration or Congress either.
But that’s what I want for Christmas, and that’s what I’m gonna go after – especially the part about doing what is pleasing in God’s sight…
Father in Heaven,
Your Gift to our world was not another version of Wii, a new Lexus, or every kiss beginning with K – Your Gift to the world was the One who would teach us how to forsake the world and do what is pleasing in Your sight. May my life be an imitation of His, and may His Spirit be my Guide – I pray in His Name anticipating Your help. Amen.
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