Giving During Christmas
I loved Christmas as a kid. I love Christmas today but the reason I love Christmas has changed.
When I was a child, it was about what I received. The excitement of waking up on Christmas morning and seeing the presents under the tree. I still remember the year I ran to the living room and saw the bicycle I wanted. It was standing there with a bow around it. It was great!
As an adult my greatest joy is not what I get. To be honest I do not have everything, but I have everything I need. My excitement today centers around watching my grandchildren open the presents that Cathy and I give them. I love their excitement when they begin unwrapping the presents. I love to hear the squeal when they see what we have got them.
My excitement has totally flipped from receiving to giving.
It reminds me of Acts 20:35 “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ””
Paul was saying goodbye to the elders of the church of Ephesus. It was an incredible intimate moment. He reminded them of how he worked to support himself so he could be free to minister. He quoted the words of Jesus that it is a greater blessing to give to others than receive from them.
Giving is the character of God. For God so loved the world that he gave. Christmas is the season of giving. We love giving gifts to those we love.
My question for you, since you have received the greatest gift that God can give, what will you give God this Christmas? What gift will you give to Him?
God gave you the life of His son. The greatest gift you can give God is your life. I am not talking about salvation. The longer I follow Jesus the more the Holy Spirit reveals that there are pieces of my life that I have not totally surrendered to Him. It is more blessed to give.
Sometimes I have to resurrender aspects of my life to Jesus. I gave it to God in the past but have picked it back up again. It always works to my advantage when I resurrender them back to God. It is more blessed to give.
Paul says we labor to support the weak. It is good to give and support the poor. This Christmas I am the weak. I need to give myself back to Jesus. It is more blessed to give.
When I was a child, it was about what I received. The excitement of waking up on Christmas morning and seeing the presents under the tree. I still remember the year I ran to the living room and saw the bicycle I wanted. It was standing there with a bow around it. It was great!
As an adult my greatest joy is not what I get. To be honest I do not have everything, but I have everything I need. My excitement today centers around watching my grandchildren open the presents that Cathy and I give them. I love their excitement when they begin unwrapping the presents. I love to hear the squeal when they see what we have got them.
My excitement has totally flipped from receiving to giving.
It reminds me of Acts 20:35 “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ””
Paul was saying goodbye to the elders of the church of Ephesus. It was an incredible intimate moment. He reminded them of how he worked to support himself so he could be free to minister. He quoted the words of Jesus that it is a greater blessing to give to others than receive from them.
Giving is the character of God. For God so loved the world that he gave. Christmas is the season of giving. We love giving gifts to those we love.
My question for you, since you have received the greatest gift that God can give, what will you give God this Christmas? What gift will you give to Him?
God gave you the life of His son. The greatest gift you can give God is your life. I am not talking about salvation. The longer I follow Jesus the more the Holy Spirit reveals that there are pieces of my life that I have not totally surrendered to Him. It is more blessed to give.
Sometimes I have to resurrender aspects of my life to Jesus. I gave it to God in the past but have picked it back up again. It always works to my advantage when I resurrender them back to God. It is more blessed to give.
Paul says we labor to support the weak. It is good to give and support the poor. This Christmas I am the weak. I need to give myself back to Jesus. It is more blessed to give.
Questions:
- What aspect of your life to you need to give to God?
- How can you give God a gift this Christmas?
- What part of your life do you need to resurrender to God?
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