Friday, November 19, 2010

Hope, Heaven and Holidays!

Thanksgiving is just the beginning...Actually, now it all starts way before Thanksgiving and keeps going strong till December 25th! What is it? You guessed it, the Christmas season has now branched out to include all of about 2 months, maybe a few more days. This time of year we find ourselves cooking, shopping, eating, traveling, charging our credit and did I say eating? We are going in every direction, and usually at the same time. We spend time looking for that perfect gift, wrapping it in just the right paper, and delivering it in such a way that even Santa would be jealous, but do we ever stop to think that this would be a perfect season to worship? Thanksgiving and Christmas are great opportunities to live a lifestyle in front of family and friends that shows them the importance of Christ in your life. Show them by being slow to anger when they make those comments that normally would make you open up a can of Christmas kick butt! Take a few minutes to read the Christmas story to your entire family and remind them what the season is all about. If its Thanksgiving, why not actually live out the name and give thanks openly for the great things God has done for you! Use every opportunity you can to show Christ and the difference He makes in your life and the life of your family, because in doing so you are worshipping God through being light. You are giving Him praise by leading others to be fully devoted followers of Christ. The hope that we posses should cause us to act and speak differently, especially around people who have no clue about what it means to be free and happy in Jesus. We have a place in heaven because of the one who stepped out of eternity and into time, as a sweet baby boy. Jesus came not so we could run up our debt to income ratio but so we could lift up His renown and shout His fame to all the earth. This holiday season, lets speak about, sing about and show others, that thanksgiving and Christmas are not just 2 days for a Christ follower but are more of a lifestyle to live out every day of the year!