Christmas Time

Today is Christmas Eve. The time of the year that we remember Jesus Christ coming to earth as a baby. The time of the year that we celebrate His great love for us. The time of the year that we take the time to get together as families and spend time together. Reread that last sentence......Think about it. Christmas is about Jesus. The time that we remember HIM. Why do we focus SO much on getting together as a family and spending time together that we forget about Jesus. Now I am not saying that we all just forget about Jesus. Yes, we go to church and read the Christmas story and go to candlelight services, but think about it.

How much time did you spend buying gifts? How much time did you spend thanking Jesus for coming? How much time did you spend wrapping presents? How much time did you spend reading the Bible and praying? How much time did you spend preparing for parties? How much time did you spend preparing your heart for Christmas?

I am writing this more for me than for "preaching" to you. I have been thinking A LOT about taking the time for Jesus Christ and not just at Christmas time but ALL the TIME! As I look back on today, the day before Christmas, I think about what we should be doing and what we really are doing. The day that we should all be examining our hearts, but instead we are figuring out what clothes we are wearing for parties and how we should do our hair. Well......that is what I was thinking about today. I admit I was thinking more about myself today than about the miracle of Christmas.

Every minute of everyday is God's time, right? ALL "YOUR" time is God's time. He is entrusting it to you to spend it wisely. Now I am not saying to forget all about the fun parts of Christmas (the gifts, the parties, the family gatherings, the food, the fun......) but through it ALL remember the real reason. The reason we actually have Christmas. The reason for the season is Jesus!

As I am writing this I am reminded of the Christmas song While You Were Sleeping by Casting Crowns. The beginning of the song talks about how Bethlehem was not ready to welcome Jesus as a baby. The middle of the song talks about how Jerusalem was not ready to welcome Jesus as their Savior. And the end of the song talks about how America is not ready to welcome Jesus at all.

Are you ready to welcome Jesus tomorrow when we remember his birth? Will you be ready to welcome Jesus when He comes again? He is coming again and He is coming again soon. Will you be ready?