Pastor's Ponderings, December 16, 2019

All I Want For Christmas Is Jesus

What would you do if you were informed that December 25, 2019, would be your last Christmas?  What would you want to give and what would you want to receive?  What would be important for you to do, who would you want to talk with, and what issues would you want to resolve? If your life had a clear expiration date, some things would suddenly become extremely important while other things would quickly diminish in value. 

Neal Morse wrote a hymn entitled, “Only What You Do For Christ.”  Some of the lyrics are, “You may build great cathedrals large or small, you can build skyscrapers grand and tall, you may conquer all the failures of the past, but only what you do for Christ will last…only what you do for Him will be counted at the end;

only what you do for Christ will last.” Hopefully we would all recognize that the most important thing to do this Christmas is to have a close relationship with Jesus Christ. 

This holiday season, as we are making our Christmas lists and checking them twice, let us decide that we should give Jesus what He wants most and paid His life for and that is us.  He wants us to present our bodies, souls and our spirits to Him (Romans 12:1).  He does not want us to conform to the world’s idea of giving to receive more (Romans 12:2), but to allow Him to guide us where we should give and to whom we should give.  Does Dad really need a new sport coat, or could we provide monthly giving for a needy child?  Does your boss need new golf clubs, or could the office support an inner-city youth with a summer camp opportunity?  

I want these lyrics to be my Christmas present. These are some of the lyrics from the song entitled “Day By Day” from the 1971 musical Godspell. “Day by day, oh dear Lord, three things I pray. To see Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, follow Thee more nearly, day by day.” What I want for Christmas is to be more like Christ. 

Romans 12:1
New International Version (NIV)

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Romans 12:2
New International Version (NIV)

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.