There are very few times of year that lend itself to the opportunity to give random gifts or bake luscious foods “just because.” I love to bake, and I love to give. So, besides the conscious efforts I make to bake and give. I make a conscious effort to think about what Christmas is truly about, Christ our Savior coming to redeem us, I love giving to others. I love having people in my home and treating them special. I love the music about our Saviors’ birth. I love the smells of Christmas, the evergreens, and the different foods we only prepare during Christmas. I love the traditions of families getting together for a home-cooked meal. I love all the sparkles, lights, and decorations. It’s the perfect time of year to love, love, love.
Why is it the perfect time to love? Because it is the time God chose to show His perfect love to us by the giving of His Son. In John 3:16, the Bible makes it clear that “He gave” because He loved us. He didn’t just wave a wand and declare that we could enter Heaven. He gave the best He had, His Son. He gave sacrificially. Jesus was not just “a” son; He was the only one who met the standard of being the perfect sacrifice. He was the spotless Lamb of God.
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
What do you offer Jesus at this time of year? Do you bring Him monetary gifts to ensure His work continues? It takes a lot of money to keep a church going, salaries of employees, and sending missionaries to lands that don’t have the gospel. As Christians, we should want to see everyone saved. The homeless need help; maybe some choose to live on the streets, maybe they are mentally ill, but they need the love of Christ shown to them. The drug addict needs help. He needs someone to care for him and share Christ with him. What about the workaholic who avoids church with the excuse of work? He needs to see the importance of salvation and obedience to Christ. He sees that through other Christians. He feels it through your concern for Him. Most will respond to genuine love this time of year. It’s a stressful time of year for the majority of people. It’s the perfect time of year to show them the answer to their stress. The Psalmist said it perfectly in Psalm 46:10, Be still, relax, stop the worry, stop the noise, and know that I am God. God is our sustainer, our completer, our rock when things are rocky, our comfort in times of trouble, and our Savior for eternity. He wants us to take this perfect time to Be still.
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Take time to reflect on this perfect time to give God your best. It may be that you have never given yourself to Him completely. Now is the time. If you are reading this, it was not by accident. God has a plan, and He is trying to get your attention. It is the perfect time to love Him more, to love others more, and to love the things that God loves. The souls of men are first on that list. It is the perfect time to witness to others about this perfect one who came to give us this perfect time. No more excuses! Get busy serving the Perfect one.
