My mom and friends are asking me what I want for Christmas this year. What if I answered"all I want is more of Jesus." More holiness, more righteousness, more peace, more patience, more faith, more wisdom. What if the thing I wanted most for Christmas was more of Christ's presence?
What if we understood that Jesus was the only gift that we could give someone this year that could change someone else life and what if we could comprehend that knowing Jesus is the only gift we can receive that will make our life better?
...Coming back from serving in Kenya, I'm often overwhelmed by the amount of materialism present around me. I have too many clothes to choose from. Too many hair and skin products to paste all over my skin. Too many options of entertainment to do and too many recipes to try and make, books that will better my life. I have too much stuff guys.
And sometimes I look at all the stuff I have, the amount of things I consume and waste and I wish I could share some of it with the people living on the other side of the world. Sometimes I want to throw everything I have in a box and put it on the curb for the trash man to pick up so that my life would be more simple. So that I could focus on the one thing that really matters: Jesus.
Because so often I get so distracted, and when life gets so loud, I have difficulty focusing on Him.
And I know guys, trust me I know, materials can be such a blessing. I am blessed to live in America and have the things I have, as well as the amount of friends and family support that I have. But sometimes I let my materials and the amount of things going on in my life distract me from Jesus. And that's what scares me.
Friends it is so easy to forget that Jesus is the center of Christmas. He's the reason for the celebration, the hustle, the singing, the noise. And way beyond and above that- Jesus is the reason and the purpose for living. And He is the only thing that matters. Living for Him and loving Him more is the only purpose to live for.
And sometimes when we get so excited about gift giving and receiving, and Black Friday, and celebrations with family and friends- it's too easy to forget the only one thing that matters.
God wants to give us gifts every single day that attest to His love and faithfulness in our lives. God wants to give us more of Himself, more of His presence daily, and when we know Jesus more it changes everything in our lives.
So maybe friends, this year we can look for Jesus, in Christmas. We can seek Jesus more than anything else.