Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Thanksgiving Day didn’t go as we had planned. I wanted to go see my sisters and spend some time with them. Of course with the weather we had Wednesday night into Thursday morning made me rethink that five-hour drive to north central Oklahoma. We decided just to stay in Pampa.
Our Thanksgiving Day was filled with texts and calls from the kids as well as putting up some Christmas decorations. Vicki was in that decorating mode and even pulled me into it as well. I put up the tree and got it ready to decorate. The outside decorations will just have a wait for a few days.
As we got to Thursday afternoon, Vicki said that she was going to Wal-Mart and I could either take her or go with her. Then it happened. My brain quit working because I said that I would go with her! I assure you it wasn’t what I had in my mind for Thanksgiving. When she asked if I wanted to go to Amarillo on Friday, I politely declined.
As always, I’m looking forward to this time of year. But I’m reminded of a song that I sang with a group when I was a young boy. It went like this -- “City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style, In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas. Children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile, and on every street corner you’ll hear - Silver Bells, Silver Bells, its Christmas time in the city.”
Life at Christmas can truly get busy with all the various activities that take place. It might be a party, a play the grandkids are in, the Christmas parade or just making sure the meal plans go right. Things can get really crazy at times with the ‘busy sidewalks’. But we must be careful not to lose our focus.
Christmas time has a way of making us look at things and people differently. Of course, we know that as Christians, people look at things and people differently because of what God has done by sending His Son into the world. I realize that we are all going to purchase gifts for those we love and do things to let them know that we love them, but I believe it would be a wonderful thing for us to let the love of God show through us to those around us.
In Luke 2:10-11 an angel appeared to the shepherds – 10 And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
This was a fulfillment of what Isaiah wrote in 9:6 -- 6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Let’s look at the ‘busy sidewalks’, the Christmas decorations and all the trimmings of Christmas as a way to share the wonderful news of a ‘child born, and a Son given” whose name is called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
It is my prayer that this year you enjoy Christmas in a way that you never have before. I pray that Christmas, 2019, will be a time when you experience the Christ of Christmas in a way that brings you into a relationship with Him or moves you deeper in your relationship with Him. Make sure that as you prepare for Christmas that you include preparing your heart to meet the Christ of Christmas.
JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, there IS something about that name!!
Christ only, always,
Bro. Paul
Brother Paul Nachtigall is the preacher at Highland Baptist Church. He can be reached at bropaul@centramedia.net.
