A Devotion for THE SECOND WEEK IN ADVENT SEASON

“Who is Our Christmas About?”

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self….”             2 Timothy 3:-2

What a birthday party it turned out to be! Each of the guests gave himself a present, but the little boy whose birthday was being celebrated got nothing. When refreshments were served, the children ate all the ice cream and cake and the birthday boy got nothing. Everyone congratulated himself and wished himself well, but the little birthday boy was ignored!

Are we about to celebrate Jesus’ birthday party like that? People give Christmas gifts to themselves, their families, their friends. They entertain their guests and enjoy themselves. But what about Jesus? Where does He fit into their doings?

You might think it “tis the season to be selfish.” And, selfishness often characterizes the observance of the most unselfish act of God –the giving of His one and only begotten Son.  Some churches no longer have Christmas services because “people have other things to do on Christmas morning.” But what could be more important than to worship Christ on the day of His birth? What is more timely than loving God with our whole heart?

Everything God did at Christmas was unselfish. Jesus didn’t commandeer the best accommodations in Bethlehem; He stayed in a barn to be born in a manger. Birds and animals had more than Jesus, for He did not even have a place to lay His head. The words of Holy Scripture tell us that He borrowed the Palm Sunday donkey colt to ride into town; He rented the upper room where He instituted the Lord’s Supper. When He was arrested & put on trial, He had only the clothes on His back. He was crucified –not for His sins but for ours; He was buried in a borrowed grave. He lived for others; He died for others; He came to seek and to save; He came to serve.

It’s time again to put Christ back into Christmas and to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Because of our love for the One who loved us first, we will put Jesus first and worship Him unselfishly in our words and actions, not only on the day of His birth commemorated, but daily & every day that we have breath and opportunity. And God grants it to us for Jesus’ sake.