After battling the virus through most of the month of September and battling the lingering shortness of breath and fatigue through most of October, I have been thinking ahead to Christmas.
Add to that the daily alerts of shortages, increasing cost of goods, the uncertainty of shipping and other “threats” to the Christmas festivities, I wonder if maybe we should not return to the simplicity and atmosphere that marked that first Christmas.
I have three children, a daughter-in-love and son-in-love and three grandsons. My heart this Christmas is not to go out to buy “stuff,” nor order “stuff” to be shipped in. To be honest, I think we all have more than enough “stuff.” I know my closets are stuffed with “stuff,” so are the garage and bookcases and pantry.
I am sitting here pondering the command God gave the nation of Israel. Leviticus 19:10: “And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” [HCSB]
I wonder if we have been stripping our vineyards and claiming every grape as ours, leaving nothing for the less fortunate.
Then I remembered what Jesus said about the ones we invite to our feasts. Luke 14:13-14: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” [HCSB]
I want to do something meaningful this Christmas season, something that reflects the wonderful gift of our Savior to us from Father God.
Maybe I need to think more about this and see whom to bless this year. Got ideas?
