Christmas. Is it almost Christmas already?

You know, when I owned a floral shop, I always had to do my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve after I closed my store.  I got great deals, but I always felt sorry for the folk still working and went out of my way to be kind and thankful.

Today as I type this, I wonder how it can be that I am STILL shopping at the last minute!  Ugh!  I just cannot believe how quickly Christmas has come upon us.

This has caused me to think this chain of thoughts:

Time seems to pass faster the older I get.

But time does not really change speed, does it?

How quickly dates, like Christmas, creep up on us.

Does that happen because we aren’t focused on them but on other things?

I think I’ve been focused on Christmas.

No, what I realize now is that I have been focused on Jesus, not the holiday; you know the present-buying, card-sending, party-going Christmas.

I think I am happy that Christmas has slipped up on me, because I have had a wonderful time considering Mary, Joseph, and the Baby, our one-day Savior.

I have really had a Christmas season, in which my faith has deepened, as I have pondered the first Christmas. I think that is what God would have us do, ponder the first Christmas, be thankful for the first Christmas, and remember the first Christmas in all that we do.

Consider these words in Malachi (nearly the last words spoken by God to his people in the Old Testament.  Following these words, God was silent for over 400 years.)

Malachi 4:16

“Then those who revered the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.  A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.”

The Book of Life!

For those who have “revered the Lord” and accepted Jesus as Lord, we have our names written in the Book of Life.  God has heard us as we speak of our reverence and gratefulness in worship.  God knows our hearts.  He KNOWS us.  He knows all about us, but it is our belief in him and our desire to please him, even though we often fail, that binds us to him through the covenant of his promise.

We have been blessed with the greatest gift a person could ever receive – Jesus, and a heart that has opened to receive him.

 Malachi 4:2

“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.  And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.”

Oh, don’t let the distractions of a holiday keep you from your moments of reverence for the God who made life and life abundant possible.

Let’s keep our focus on him as we buy gifts and celebrate Christmas with our families.  Everything we have, we have because of God.  Everything we have to live for we have because of Jesus.

Have fun and really enjoy this Christmas like never before!

Praise God.