LET US ADORE HIM! Yes …
Christmas is really Someone’s birthday!
It is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, but the bombardment by the impossible-to-miss retail
commercialization of this incredible season – just about blacks out that
fact! Could that be why the day after
Thanksgiving is called “Black Friday”?
The lights that shimmer and glimmer all over town – all but dim the
sight of the Baby in the manger. The
frenzied hurry-n-scurry for weeks and weeks – just about snuff out any thought
of stopping to kneel down and worship the One who came to us long ago under
that brilliant Star! The incessant noise
of media announcements and the unending paper pile of advertisements – can
easily crowd out the voice of our Lord drawing us to Himself. The merry-go-round of gift-giving that
doesn’t let us stop – nearly flings off any semblance of authentic joy and
instead holds people captive when all that keeps on giving is the debt that
they unwisely bought into. How could we
have strayed so far from what Christ’s birth is all about? What should be the most precious Birthday
celebration of the year, has forgotten the Honored Guest! It is high time to jump off the dizzily
spinning merry-go-round and say that “enough is enough”! It is time to turn off the commercial
craziness and turn back to the pages of Luke chapter 2 and take in the
beautifully recorded event of God’s Son, Jesus.
Amazingly, it was His birth that presented the first opportunity to
bring gifts to Jesus. Did you catch
that? The wise men brought gifts and
gave them TO Jesus – not to each other!
Their journey, their full-focus was on Jesus. Their first glimpse of God’s Son dropped them
to their knees in speechless adoration as they bowed before Him first
and then presented their precious gifts. These gifts did not smack of cheap quality or
deeply discounted sales. They were
valuable and were given from the depths of their hearts. Their time and these gifts cost them
something – far more than any “I just don’t have a clue what I should give
so-and-so” gift!! You see … so many
people give really pricey, expensive gifts to others – and then grab some
little item for the needy out of a dollar basket in some remote spot at the end
of the store aisle. And then they can
say, “There You go, Jesus - I remembered Your birthday!” and go on their merry
way to more parties and family gatherings where they will give to others and
receive from them. What is that? No honor … no sacrifice … no thought … no
celebration of the Honored Guest on His birthday? Look … was that a tear starting to well up in
one corner of His sad eyes? We
definitely would not want to be treated that way on OUR birthday … and yet far
too many do just that to Jesus. Year
after year after year. He’s forgotten –
pushed aside. Celebrations of His
birthday go on without Him. What will WE
do this year? Will we adore Him and present
precious gifts to Him? Will we give
ourselves? Will we offer Him what
pleases Him? Will we touch others for
His Name’s sake and put His name on the gift-tag? “Here, Jesus, this is for You!” Or will we make His birthday all about us …
and exclude the One whose birthday we are celebrating! I received a text from one of our
granddaughters this morning, and I am glued to its message. This is what she wrote: “I have
been thinking a lot this year ~ and I want to donate my Christmas money this
year. Do you know of any good places to
donate …?” A lump rose up in my throat, a tear welled up
in my eye, and my heart nearly burst! I
wanted to shout to the world – all the while knowing that I only needed an
audience of One to hear my whisper to Him … “Jesus, she gets it! She wants to celebrate YOU on Your
birthday!” And if her heart’s desire
thrilled me – think how it made Jesus feel!
You see, when we get THIS part right:
the adoration of our King … then any gifts we share with each other will
be all the more meaningful because we put Jesus first! Best of all, our love and devotion for our
Lord will point others to the BEST GIFT that they will ever receive … His love
and forgiveness, the Reason He came to us that night as a Babe in the Manger! “Happy Birthday, Jesus … WE ADORE YOU!”
REMEMBER . .
. “On coming to the house, they (the Magi) saw the Child with His
mother, Mary,
and they bowed down and worshipped Him.
Then they opened their treasures
and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense
and of myrrh.”
~ Matthew 2:11
YOU ARE INVITED ... to our first-ever Sunday School Christmas Program next Sunday morning, December 15th, following our praise and worship at the beginning of the service! "Don't Forget Jesus" will be directed by Verla Jones ~ and you will be blessed by our children and youth as they portray this entertaining and powerful message of what Christmas is really all about!
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
