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WRAPPED UP IN THE HOLIDAYS by Carl McMurray In just a few weeks December 25th will be upon us. Some folks try and abstain from any celebration of this day as special, while others make it the biggest day of the year. Romans 14:5-6 tells me that either choice is acceptable as long as one is acting in accord with their own understanding and conscience. It’s not a matter which should cause division or lead us to “judging” one another. There are other matters, however, which perhaps should be addressed in this season. Matters which God’s word addresses and gives us instruction on. For example... Is this a season of stress for you? Many drive themselves and others around them absolutely crazy trying to make this a “holiday to remember.” Food preparation, gift buying, decorating, travel arrangements, and scheduling all the foregoing can do this to us. Philippians 4:6 instructs us, “...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Is this a season of debt for you? A recently heard report on “black Friday,” the special shopping day following Thanksgiving, made mention of how encouraging it was for the economy that this year’s shopping day was so much better than last years, even though a good percentage of people were still paying ON LAST YEAR’S CHRISTMAS! Amazing. Borrowing is not wrong, but failing to pay bills when due or not being able to give anything back to God, or even hindering our ability to help others by running up foolish debts and accompanying interest payment shows a serious lack of stewardship. Romans 13:7-8 teaches us, “...Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, ... [8] Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
Lastly, will this be a
season where priorities are ignored? With traveling, and visiting, family
get-togethers, office parties, and associated hustle and bustle it might be easy
to forget...to assemble to worship, to give, to offer thanks to God, to study,
to pray and to continue serving God in a dedicated fashion. It may be easy to
let friends, family, or celebrations slip into first place in heart or mind, but
Matthew 6:33 still warns us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things (the needful things of life, sic)
will be added to you. |