My Christmas decorations are still up and I’m not ashamed! I am not ready to lay aside the Christmas music either. Life is rushed all the way up until the day of Christmas and then the relaxing begins.
I’ll be ready to tackle the dust bunnies and organization in a few days but for now I’m going to turn on the lights and enjoy the slower pace.
Certain Christmas songs will bring me right back to childhood. In the 70’s I remember waking up to my parents blaring Evie’s “Come on Ring Those Bells” on the reel to reel player.
I heard my all time favorite, Michael W. Smith’s “Gloria”, for the first time in 1989 via cassette tape while riding in the car with my mom. (Yes, Michael had a mullet back then but so did my very handsome husband!)
In the early 90’s I heard Sandi Patty’s song “And the Gift Goes On” and ever since I have been trying to bug my sister by singing it whenever we are together for Christmas. If you have to ask why that would bug my sister then you have never heard the song. It stays in your head ALL day long!
A few lines from Sandi Patty’s song:
The Father gave the Son
The Son gave the Spirit
The Spirit gives us life
So we can give the Gift of loveAnd the Gift goes on
And the Gift goes on
And the Gift goes on
And the Gift goes on and on and on
May the gift continue to go on in your life. As you pack up the Christmas decorations and return to busy routines, I pray for the gift of Christmas to linger the whole year through. I pray for God’s words to play over and over in your heart and mind. I pray that you won’t forget how amazing His indescribable gift really is.
I certainly don’t remember each Christmas gift I have received over the years and I bet you don’t either. As each year passes though, the gift of Jesus continues to get more and more precious to me. Let’s not allow familiarity to rob us from the joy of Jesus’ presence that never wears out.
The Father gave the Son. He came as Immanuel, God with us. Jesus made the way for us to the Father.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
The Son gave the Spirit. Jesus told His disciples that it would be better for Him to return to heaven SO THAT He could send the gift of the Holy Spirit (the Counselor, the Spirit of truth).
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you….When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
John 16:7,13-15
The Spirit gives us life. If you are reading this, you still have breath. If you have breath you have life to live. The Holy Spirit wants to come alongside and help you and me. Jesus gave us – and continues to give us – abundant life. Let’s live that out each day by walking in the light and life of Jesus by the power of His Holy Spirit!
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:25
May 2015 be a blessed year full of the favor of the Lord. Choose with me to enter into His peace and rest even when the busyness of life picks up again.
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
Happy New Year!
