Faithful Friday / Do You Want His Presence or Presents?

Well, it's that time of year again. The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season can be exhilarating and fun, but it can also be very exhausting.

Let me ask you a question. Let's pretend that it is your birthday, and everyone you knew was hurrying and rushing around to do all the preparations for your party. Then, when it was time to celebrate with you they were too exhausted to come or is they did come, they just didn't have the strength and energy to celebrate YOU!!! How would you feel? Hurt? Disappointed? Left out, and unimportant ?

Well, it's Jesus'Birthday, and He has feelings feelings, too!

I love Christmas lights and Christmas carols as much as the next person. But in all our partying, if we don't make time for the one who the party is for, what is the point? Can you truthfully say that He is welcome at every, single celebration that you have planned? Is He your honored guest at every gathering, or are there some places and ways that you celebrate that you wish He wouldn't see? He will you know - see you, I mean.

We do decorating 'til we are exhausted, gift giving 'til we are afraid to look at our bank accounts, and holiday feasting 'til we won't even look in the mirror much less step on the scales. Why? Do these things bless HIM? I think not!

Don't get me wrong! Jesus loved a party. So much so that they called him a glutton and a drunkard (Matt. 11:19). He doesn't mind us having fun. He wants us to enjoy the gift of this life that He gave us.

I think what breaks His heart is that we don't celebrate with Him. We don't welcome and include Him. Usually, we delegate Him to some abstract corner of it all, instead of front and center where He belongs.

We let ourselves get so caught up in the commercialism - the shopping, the giving and getting of gifts - that we tend to forget, not what but WHO, we are supposed to be celebrating.

What about you? Do you want His Presence or the presents? One is temporary and the other eternal! Which will you choose?

I don't know about you dear friend, but as for me and my house . . . we choose HIs PRESENCE!

BLESSED BIRTHDAY SWEET JESUS! WE LOVE YOU!

#FaithfulFriday #DoYouWantHisPresenceOrPresents #BlessedBirthdayJesus