[Tuesday's Devotional] - Christmas gifts

What are you hoping to get for Christmas this year?  For my children, when they were younger, most of what they wanted could be found between the pages of the Argos catalogue.  How long will the Christmas gifts last for?  Many of last year’s presents are perhaps broken or have pieces missing, and to make room for new gifts we need to find somewhere to put the old ones. 

 

How much better to seek the gifts that will last?  God has gifts for all of us, and He is dying for us to use them.  God has fruits which will not go mouldy:   

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5: 22-23 [NIV]

 

It is better to give than to receive, and the gifts we are given are meant to be shared.  Indeed, there is no law against using them!

 

What would Christmas be like if we:

-          showed love in our relationships with each other?

-          shared the joy we feel at the good news we have?

-          sought peace instead of conflict?

-          had patience with everyone we come into contact with?

-          carried out acts of kindness to those less fortunate than us?

-          filled our lives with goodness?

-          made faithfulness our highest priority?

-          mirrored the gentleness of Christ?

-          allowed self-control to temper our impetuous nature?  

 

Dave MacLellan 
(originally published in 2003)