December 12 ~ Acts 2:43-47
Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.
They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
When was the last time you heard someone say they were starting a diet…December 1st? Let’s face it…the Christmas season is a time of feasting. We trot out our traditional favorites…egg nog, cookies of every kind, spiced tea, and lots and lots of candy – not to mention the party trays of delicious hot hors d’oeuvres and dishes of every description. Most of us will sit down at some point to a sumptuous dinner…ham, turkey, dressing/stuffing, and all the trimmings. But WHY do we do this…and should we?
Let’s unpack this just a bit…Christmas is the time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our King of Kings. All throughout the Bible, people feasted to celebrate. And this is the time of year when we gather with family and friends and revel in the festivities of the season. Hopefully we will share joy and exuberance in the remembrance of Jesus…the celebration of His blessings upon our life over the last 12 months – and the anticipation of His love and grace upon us in the coming year.
So go ahead…share a cookie and some cocoa with a friend…break bread with loved ones, and enjoy the delicious tastes associated with Christmas. But remember WHO and WHY you are celebrating. Take time to give glory to God for sending Jesus. Make a point to say prayers of thanks to Jesus for His incredible, incomparable gift of Salvation. Revel in His goodness and make the holiday meals an exuberant, joyful celebration of praise to Him! This is the time to rejoice and make merry…we will all diet in January!
©2014 Debbie Robus
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