The Reason for the Season
Christmas is a wonderful time of year. I love to hear the familiar carols playing on the radio. The decorations are so festive and the excitement in the air is contagious.
Working in a school with little children takes me back to my childhood. The kids are so excited about Santa. There’s a little elf on the shelf who is keeping an eye out for those good little girls and boys. So you better watch out!
But I also want to celebrate the reason for the season; the birth of Jesus the long awaited Messiah.
When the Magi found Jesus and his mother Mary in Bethlehem, the Bible says in Matthew 2:11
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”
The response of the wise men when they saw Jesus was to bow down and worship Him and to give Him gifts.
As a Christian, I’ve received the gift of Jesus. I am at peace with God because of Jesus. He died to pay the price for our sins. But each one of us has to receive that gift personally.
I’ve been thinking about what gift I can give Jesus at Christmas time. I’m so thankful for His grace and mercy and forgiveness. I choose to live a life of love because of what He has given to me.
And so I come to realize that the gift I can give back to Him is …my whole heart.
That means that I choose to submit my will to His will. I stop trying to control everything and allow Him to show me the way He has chosen for me. I learn to trust Him. After all, He created me and knows what is best for me.
He knows the innermost desires of my heart better than I do. After all, He led me to a place where I’m working with little children. I have to admit I came to this place through circumstances that were not of my choosing. But in the midst of many trials, I made the choice to listen, learn and to obey God. Life isn’t perfect for me by any means and there’s a journey ahead of me. But I’d rather walk with Jesus through it all.
He is the reason for the season.
Will you consider giving your whole heart to Him this Christmas?
Blessings and love,
Debbie, this is so strange, but the passage of Matthew you are quoting today came to mind this morning as I was getting myself ready…and I asked myself the same question: what gift do I bring to Christ this Christmas? I love your answer.
Amen, I gladly give Him my heart.
What a lovely entry Debbie. Yes, indeed, He wants and He deserves our whole heart and I’m afraid that I guard a portion of my heart all too often. Thanks for reminding me of this truth once again. Christmas blessings to you and so thankful to have meet you through our blogs. Hugs!
I have given Him my hopes, my dreams, my sons, my marriage – I have given everything I have of value to Him – and am so glad I did!
Wonderful reminder, Debbie, of the real reason we are in this season! Merry Christmas!
Absolutely beautiful Debbie! The gift I want Christ to have always is my whole heart too! His love and sacrifice is so amazingly humbling.
Love you! Love you too Iris!
Merry Christmas and blessed New Year to all of you!
Dear Debbie, I love this post and yes we need to give Him our whole heart and soul. So often that means submitting in areas we don’t want to give up but when we do life is so much richer. Thank you for sharing.
May He continue to minister to you as you minister life to the little ones.
Hugs today, Noreen
What a great gift to give to the savior. This is what I want to give also, my whole heart.