Christmas gifts

Making the Christmas Candy

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This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.                      John 15:12 ESV

Every year as we approach Thanksgiving my wife begins preparing to make her Christmas candy. Of course preparing doesn’t begin with cooking it means buying almonds, chocolate, butter and pounds and pounds of sugar. It has become a family tradition for forty five years and it makes me wonder if anyone can or will carry it on after she is gone. Of course she has written down her recipes and even given them to several others in the family. But no one yet has made even a single batch of fudge or turned out a sheet of almond butter crunch.

Nancy’s Christmas candy gets shipped to six states and is shared with a crowd as diverse as the lawn man, the guy who picks up our garbage as well as the pastor of our church. It has become her annual reminder that God loved them so much that He sent Jesus and if they will receive nothing more of her message they can still delight in the sweetness of her gifts. When Jesus said for us to love one another as He loved us; He didn’t mean for us to all do it the same way. Nancy’s way has eclipsed the careers of politicians, movie stars and famous athletes. Few will remember the winners of super bowls, elections or academy awards; but the taste of Nancy’s Christmas candy remains as an eternal reminder of God’s love in a special way.

Imported from phone 170

Maybe our prayer this morning could be, “God what is the recipe for the way you want me to share your love today?” Loving in God’s way always means to do it like Jesus did; but it also means to cook with the unique ingredients that He has put in the pantry of our heart to use.

 

Gift of Rest

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Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls Matthew 11:29

In all our hurry towards Christmas, it is easy for us to forget to rest for a moment at the manger. Remember how He waited the unhurried nine months in the waiting room of Mary’s womb. Then at His birth the shepherds were the first to know as they rested with their flocks.

For the next 30 quiet years Jesus lived in the tiny village of Nazareth. He didn’t burst forth with proclamations of greatness instead he worked in the back of Joseph’s carpenter shop. He had brothers and sisters with whom He shared a straw mattress on the floor and the same meals that Mary cooked for everyone. Never do we hear of a complaint an attitude of frustration.

He simply waited and rested in the place where God had put Him. It was there in Nazareth that He learned to give thanks for bread and fish. In the ordinary circumstances of His life He learned how to wash feet, celebrate weddings and how to handle wood and nails.

Whenever we feel the push to get into the holiday swing of things we need to stop and take a deep breath. Then in a moment of calm remember that the same Jesus who rested in the storm has also invited us to come and rest our souls in Him!

He Never Played it Safe

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It is much safer to be feared than to be loved” Machiavelli

I am so glad that our Lord Jesus never played it safe. For His delivery room He chose the manger not the palace. As a man He touched lepers and was friends with notorious sinners. At the end of His life He traveled to Jerusalem even though He knew that there He would be arrested and beaten. As He ate His final meal He shared bread and wine with Judas all the while knowing He would be betrayed. He chose not to call on angels or men to defend Him and accepted the shame and agony of the cross. Thank God that our courageous Savior didn’t play it safe with His life. This Christmas we should remember as we exchange small gifts that He gave dangerously so that we could remain forever safe in His arms.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. Luke 23:34 NKJV