Unwanted Gift

So how was your family’s Christmas this year? Did you have a good one?

I've been blessed to have many good Christmases in my life.

Several years ago I wrote about the perfect Christmas. You know what I mean. It’s the one pictured in movies and magazines. The Christmas with a warm hearth, a glowing tree and a happy family. Well that year my sister surprised me and made it happen for our family!

But this year was the best Christmas in a long time. At least for me. This year all my children and grandchildren were together in our home for the first time.

We enjoyed it all: Happy hellos. Wonderful meals together. Bedtime stories with the little ones. The beautiful Christmas tree and showing the ornaments to the youngest grandchildren. A granddaughter reading the gospel account of Jesus’ birth before we opened presents.

Then came the goodbyes, a quiet house and the time to treasure the memories. I thought, “Seeing my family all together was the best gift I ever received!”

Oops—hold on just a minute! That’s not quite true. The best present I ever received came to me when I was a child. But it was an unwanted gift.

Listen to children talking after Christmas and you’ll notice they get right to the point: “What did you get for Christmas? Did you get what you wanted?”

The goal in buying a gift for someone is to get something they want and (hopefully) need.

Not everyone is successful. The evidences of that are the long lines in stores the day after Christmas for returning unwanted gifts.

But what if you need something you’re not aware of? As a result, you don’t want it. That was the case with the best gift I ever received. My unwanted gift.

The Bible records the Christmas angels saying, “A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord.” A savior was God’s gift to us. But I didn’t know I needed a savior or that I needed saving. I thought I was a pretty good boy, better than others I knew.

Then came the day I realized that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t be a perfect person. Sooner or later I disobeyed my parents, misbehaved and disappointed them. God, too.

Suddenly the Gospel story had new meaning for me. Jesus was born to live the perfect life I should live and to die the death that justice demanded for my sin. I understood for the first time that Jesus was my only hope for a life of peace with God and others. So I put my trust in Christ.

That simple act of faith changed my life. Finally I was relieved from the need to be and act perfect. I knew God loved me, accepted me and forgave me because of Jesus. I had true peace.

Sadly many people celebrate Christmas without Jesus and without peace. Why? Because they don’t want the real gift of Christmas, a Savior and the wonderful eternal life he gives us.

For many years the Chicago Daily News printed the same cartoon every year after Christmas. It was called "The Morning After." The cartoonist drew a Christmas tree with wrapping paper and bows strewn all around. But under the tree, one gift remained ignored, unwanted and unopened. On the gift was written these words: “Eternal Life.”

I hope that isn't the way it is in your home or your heart this year. Make this the year you receive God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, the one who loved and died for us all.

Let's not just celebrate Christmas as a gift exchange honoring a baby. Let’s celebrate Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection all year long! And let’s follow his example in serving others.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Tree Talk

Do you have a Christmas tree in your home? If so, why? Have you ever thought about it?

The custom itself has both pagan and Christian roots. Some pagans worshipped tree spirits and brought trees indoors during the winter solstice on December 25.

In the Middle Ages (1300s) Christians celebrated Adam & Eve day on December 24. A Play was used to tell the story in church and a pine tree with apples tied to it served as a prop for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Soon it became a popular tradition in Christian homes.

Regardless of how the custom began, a recent Rasmussen Reports survey showed that 68% of adults plan to have a Christmas tree in their home this year. Eighty percent of those with children in the home plan to have a tree.

“Now hold on just a minute! Why question such and old and beautiful tradition?”

That’s a good question. And the answer is that we should know why we practice traditions. Otherwise they are meaningless. But if properly understood, traditions contribute to the holiday.

Most people have heard that Christmas is the official celebration of Christ’s birth. But how can a tree help us celebrate his birth? The only written record of his birth in the Bible makes no mention of a tree at all.

Many years ago I attended a Christmas service and the church’s pastor used the Christmas tree as an object lesson during the children’s sermon. I found it so memorable that I have used it in a similar fashion ever since. So let’s start with the tree. How can a tree remind us of Jesus?

When Jesus died, he died on a cross. And crosses were made from wood taken from a tree.

But it’s not an oak tree, maple tree or apple tree. It’s an evergreen tree. Why evergreen?

After Jesus died, the Bible says he arose from the dead! It tells us that he’s still alive in Heaven and talks to God about us and for us! So a tree that doesn’t die, a tree that’s EVERgreen, is a good way to remember Jesus. Plus it looks like an arrow pointing to Heaven, his home!

Then there are the lights. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” A light shows you the way when it’s dark. And Jesus came to show us the way to God and salvation. It’s by trusting in his death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection from the dead to give us new life.

The ornaments on the tree reflect the light. And that reminds us to reflect the light of Jesus to others so they, too can see the way to God through faith in his son, Jesus Christ.

After the tree is decorated, everyone looks forward to putting presents under the tree. The presents remind us of the very first Christmas present, Jesus, who was a gift to us from God. Presents also reminds us of the gift Jesus gives us--eternal life.

Since Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth, it’s really a birthday party! And like a birthday party, we ought to bring a gift to the guest of honor, Jesus. What should we bring?

The Bible says that the greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all you heart.” Have you ever heard that? And since Jesus is our God, he wants us to love him with our whole heart. That means we love him more than anyone or anything else.

When you love someone with your whole heart, one thing people say is, “I gave him my heart” or “I gave her my heart.” This Christmas, will you give Jesus your heart? Will you love him more than anyone or anything else?

If you would like to give your heart to Jesus, you can do it today. You do it by talking to Jesus and telling him you want him to be your Lord and your Savior. He can hear you right now.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Open Secrets

What if all your secrets were made public? What would you do?

That’s the dilemma facing the United States government and many other countries in the wake of the Wikileaks scandal. More than a quarter of a million classified and top-secret documents have been made public on the Internet. And what they reveal is embarrassing.

The secrets and dishonesty of governments are now in the open. Trust was the first casualty.

Then, on the heels of an international scandal comes a more personal one. In a series called “What They Know,” the Wall Street Journal reports that companies are keeping track of our online activities through sophisticated tracking technology.

Your name, email address, Facebook ID, Google searches and web sites you visit are all being recorded. --And you thought your secrets were safe. So did the government.

It’s amazing what people will do and say if they think no one will find out about it. But now it turns out that no secret is safe.

“Now hold on just a minute! How should we live in a world where even the most classified secrets can be leaked and our personal secrets may no longer be private?”

In a word – with honesty. Out in the open. If you have no secrets, none can be ‘leaked.’

With our sense of sophisticated superiority, we convince ourselves that ‘little white lies’ and smooth talk will fool others. But even if we completely succeeded (which is unlikely), we cannot fool God.

The Bible warns us, “Be sure that your sin will find you out.”

Jesus added, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”

It almost sounds like Jesus was predicting Wikileaks! And maybe, in a way, he was.

God wants us to know that he’s aware of all our secrets. Even if we succeed in fooling others, the Bible says that one day we will all stand before God and give an account of our lives to him.

Now that’s a frightening thought. Every motive, every thought, every action will be out in the open. The Bible warns us that we will be held accountable for every idle word we speak.

Once the truth is out, there will be no doubt in our mind what we have coming. Like the prophet Isaiah we will cry out, “Woe is me!” Or to put it more modernly, “I’m doomed!”

There will be no lawyer to argue your case. Just you, God and the truth.

What’s the solution? We need a savior, someone to forgive us and fix our brokenness.

As Isaiah discovered, God will forgive our sinful self-centeredness. And the Bible says you can find forgiveness and a fresh start through faith in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection for us.

Pick up a Bible and read about it in the New Testament Gospel of John.

Then, when you find yourself standing before God, Jesus will come to your defense. He will claim you as one of his own and that your sins are forgiven because of your faith in him.

Once that’s cared for, you can begin living openly with no secrets—no matter how others may live. And you will discover that there’s great freedom in honest living. Not only does it provide you with a clear conscience, it will completely transform your business dealings.

People will discover that your word is your bond. You can be trusted.

Imagine a society based on deliberate honesty. There wouldn’t be much work for lawyers!

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Saving Christmas

Will you feel like you missed the real Christmas this year? Then save it before you lose it.

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be so hectic with special sales, shoppers packing the malls, parades, school plays and concerts, presents to buy—and the list goes on.

Soon last minute panic sets in over presents purchased (will they like it?) and still needed.

To make matters worse, some family members ask for specific gifts. Then they let it be known they won’t be happy if they don’t receive exactly what they want!

What happened to the joy of Christmas? Somehow the joy of giving is turned around to the joy of getting. So we stress out trying to get everyone something they’ll like. We even ask our children, “What do you want for Christmas?”

We do it because we want to be good parents and give them the desires of their heart.

Then we drive ourselves crazy and bust the budget trying to get everything on their list. We hope for a big smile on Christmas day and an excited, “Thank you, thank you! It’s what I always wanted!” --As if Christmas was only about presents under the tree.

Why not take a break from the stress and try something more peaceful? Something to help recapture Christmas’ true meaning. Consider the plan one dad came up with for his family.

This father wanted to celebrate the tradition of gift giving that honors God’s gift of his Son, Jesus. But he also wanted to save the budget, stop the madness and save Christmas.

His plan was simple: to buy his children four gifts for Christmas each year. That’s right—FOUR gifts. They were “Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.”

If the children complained, he asked them, “Whose birthday are we celebrating?”

Once he started buying just four gifts for each child, the children began to appreciate every gift they received. They insisted he label them. There was no more comparing who got the most gifts. No more whining, “Is that all there is?” amidst the piles of torn paper and boxes.

It also helped focus on the true meaning of Christmas presents: That we give gifts, like the Wise Men, to honor the Christ Child. And we do it to remember God’s gift of love to us.

The Bible says: “For God so LOVED the world that he GAVE his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God’s gift is a son that gives life.

Teach your children that one of the reasons you give them gifts is because you love them. And because God loves us, he gave us his greatest gift at Christmas: a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. Don’t let Jesus get lost under the tree. He is the reason for the season.

The four gifts are just a suggestion. But, if you tried it, it might get rid of the craziness trying to find and buy gifts you can’t afford. And trying to make everyone happy.

Then don’t forget that the real Saint Nicholas is remembered for giving gifts--not to those who had more than they needed but to those who had almost nothing. Maybe you could get your family excited about helping another family in need.

You could make Christmas about giving instead of getting. Just like the first Christmas.

Remember the words Jesus said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Do your children and grandchildren or nieces and nephews know that?

The choice is yours: Missing Christmas by focusing on presents or saving Christmas with a focus on Jesus. Why not save Christmas for your family this year? You’ll be glad you did.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Christmas Adventure

The turkey was barely cold before shoppers hit the stores last week for “Black Friday.” Some found unbelievable deals while others found disappointment because they missed the specials.

Amazingly, some actually finished all their Christmas shopping last weekend. But why were they buying gifts? The reason many buy presents is for a holiday that could be called ‘Giftmas,’ the tradition of exchanging gifts. In many homes it’s all about the presents.

For an increasing number of Americans the Christmas tradition centers on putting up pretty lights and a tree. Then they worry about what gifts to put under the tree. But if a gift exchange is the only point of Christmas, we’ve settled for second best.

“Now hold on just a minute! Are you trying to ruin family Christmas celebrations?”

No--just the opposite. Hear me out. I’m suggesting that, to improve your family’s Christmas celebration, it might be advantageous to add a new tradition. Would you consider that?

It might even be exciting—sort of a Christmas Adventure—to add something new to your family traditions. So if you’d like a real adventure, introduce Advent to your family this year.

What is Advent? During the weeks before Christmas many Christians and churches intentionally focus on a 2,000-year-old event--an event that divides history and unites Christians.

Of course I’m speaking of the birth of Jesus Christ. His birth divides time into B.C. (“Before Christ) and A.D. (“Anno Domini” – Latin for “in the year of our Lord”). And Christ’s birth unites Christians because all agree it’s the defining moment in history.

The word ‘Advent’ means the arrival of something. So Advent is the four-week period before Christmas preparing to celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child 2,000 years ago.

Once Thanksgiving is over, people often remark about how “Christmas will be here before you know it.” Well, celebrating Advent is a good way to prepare and to ponder why Jesus’ birth was important. Even though Advent began last Sunday, there’s still time to celebrate it.

Without Christ, Christmas celebrations become about us--the decorations, the food, the parties and the gifts we like. Advent helps keep Christmas about Christ.

But even if you focus your Christmas celebration on the birth of Jesus, you won’t necessarily have Christmas joy. Why not?

Well, why do we celebrate the birth of someone who lived 2000 years ago? We don’t celebrate the births of Plato, Aristotle or even Socrates. So why celebrate Jesus’ birthday?

Because Christmas is the day “God moved into our neighborhood.” That’s significant.

Jesus showed us what God is like and that he wants a relationship with us. But he not only showed us, he made it possible. How? His death on the cross makes it possible for the sin that separates us from God to be forgiven. Result? We can become children of God by faith in Jesus.

So Jesus’ birthday is significant to you if your faith and trust are in him as your Savior. Otherwise, why bother celebrating Christmas? Until Christ has changed your life, his birthday is no different than other days. But as a child of God you want to celebrate—because he’s family!

Now I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just thinking about how Christmas can be more of a benefit to us than just increasing our stash of stuff. One way is to make it an Advent-ure.

Here’s a suggestion: During December buy an Advent calendar for your family. Attend a church that celebrates Advent and introduces people to Jesus Christ as their Savior. Then become God’s child by faith. When you do, you won’t believe the joy you’ll have at Christmas!

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!