GETTING

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“Whatcha GETTING for Christmas?”

Or when the kids scale up to Santa’s knee and what does Jolly Ole St. Nick inquire?

“What can I GET you for Christmas, kid?”

Sadly Christmas has dissolved into a whole lot of “whatcha getting” hasn’t it?

Somewhere along the way the retail giants, the savvy marketing teams and the aggressive sales folks grabbed Christmas by the throat and “packaged”it. Careers are made and broken over the holiday receipts. Annual reports and dividend checks hang in the balance while the cash registers whirl, beep, scan, and calculate. The banks wait with baited breath for those first “minimum credit” payments to float in so that the big interest charges can start adding up.

Christmas has become all about who’s getting.

And no, this isn’t a new notion. The commercialization of Christmas has been bemoaned since I was placed on this planet. In fact the year I made my appearance in 1965, Linus was “resetting” the Christmas story for the very first time.

But as Christians and “recoverers” we need to guard against the "getting”.

As addicts it got us into trouble. Selfishness is at the core of all addictive behavior. And as Christians it robs the beauty of the season.

And to be frank, GOD isn’t overly keen on the “getting” thing.

Matthew 6:32

What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.

You see simply put, Christmas should be OUR RESPONSE to GOD’S GIVING and have nothing to do with "getting".

GOD gave his BEST, the BEST, at CHRISTMAS and our response should be gratitude, reverence and awe like some of those who saw the CHRIST CHILD first.

Matthew 2:1-2

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

I don't see anything in there about the wise men looking for their piece of the CHRISTMAS pie do you?

The honest truth is we really don’t need to GET anything for CHRISTMAS to be blessed. This baby born in Bethlehem grew to provide to us the greatest gift imaginable; eternal life. At the cross, HE GAVE completely. And that is enough don’t you think?

1 Corinthians 1:7-9

Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

So stay grounded as Christmas approaches. Don’t let all the "getting" blur your vision from what you have already received.

Life from Jesus.

I love you all.

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney