Christmas Giving

The relationship of Christmas with gift-giving may be bemoaned by many, but the connection is a biblical one. I am not referring to the crazed run through the mall in late December or the White Elephant gift exchange at the office party, but the concept of generously and freely giving gifts because God gave us his Son to redeem us; this is the association that cannot and should not be avoided. The Bible says that our love for each other, and thus our love for God can be measured, at least in part, by our generosity and the willingness with which we give tangible gifts to one another (see 1 John 3:16-17). Being the targets of God’s love necessarily implants a desire to be the kind of person who meets the needs of others. Knowing what it is to be loved by God is an experience that the Bible says should drive us to give as freely as we have received. A redeemed heart will find increasing satisfaction in reaching out, even at great personal cost, to enrich and enhance the lives of others through the giving of time, talent and resources. So while the world may be giving gifts for all the wrong reasons (and complaining about it a good part of the time) we can piggy-back on this “gift-giving season” and give to help, benefit and encourage as a reflection of Christ and for the glory of God.

Responsive To Conviction

It is our natural, fallen tendency to make excuses. Our human propensity is to try to squirm out from under the weight of all those unpleasant feelings, concerning what we are doing or saying and when we are pondering something unrighteous or unholy. Because sanctification is a process, and because perfect personal holiness will not be achieved until we reach our glorified state in a resurrected body, the daily feelings of conviction will abound in our Christian lives. We will feel all varieties of large and small pangs of guilt for our less than holy words, actions and attitudes. Not only do we have a conscience given to all people for such a purpose, but as Christians we have our conscience kicked into turbo drive because of the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, beginning at the point of our repentance and faith in Christ. More than that, God himself has invaded our lives and his holy presence will ensure that God’s “hand is heavy upon us” when we fail to deal with our sin (Psalm 32:3-4). How we respond to these daily pangs that are intended to drive us toward increasing holiness is obviously at the heart of spiritual growth. How can we grow spiritually and become more like Christ while failing to own up to and confess the sins that entangle our minds, words and actions? God has saved us irrespective of our holiness (Ephesians 2:8; Titus 3:5), but he saves us so that we might live holy lives (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:15). Being responsive to the Spirit’s conviction is key.

Mentally Engaged

So much of what goes on in the name of Christianity consists of people mindlessly going through the motions of various forms of religion, devotion and piety. But acts of devotion, pious ceremonies and forms of true religion result in anything but good, when the participant’s mind is somewhere else. In principle, the Scripture repeatedly warns us not to be churchgoers who are singing songs about eternal truths while thinking about what needs to be purchased at the grocery store, praying prayers while attempting to adjudicate the motives of the one leading, or listening to a sermon while pondering the yard work that needs to be done, the kid’s next ball game or that up coming business trip. God wants our full attention when we approach the God-centered activities of his assembled church. We dare not let our minds drift when we are being led to think of the majesty of our Creator, the redemption of his Son, or the work of God’s Spirit in our lives. Lyrics and outlines require our full attention. And when we fix our hearts and minds on them, God goes to work. His powerful word penetrates to the exposure of our thoughts, intentions and attitudes. God wants to do great, meaningful and lasting things in our lives. They begin with giving God our full and undivided attention.

When Bad Things Happen

God has obviously not promised us an exemption from the bad things that happen to people in this world. As Christians we are saved from the coming wrath of God, but for now in God’s providence we are variously exposed to the painful and tragic events that plague mankind. This, of course, was God’s promise in Genesis 3 to all the inhabitants of earth. The painful thorns and the death of loved ones are the fidelity of God to his own word. The good news is that God’s special care and planning for his redeemed people is always presented to us in Scripture as exacting and precise. As Job learned, there is not a tragedy that befalls us that has not been carefully measured and governed by God’s active involvement. We can be sure that every “crisis” we face is right on schedule. The next “shocking emergency” was clearly no surprise to God. We can be sure that our pain or surprise is not indicative of an inactive or inattentive Father. So with Paul we can confidently say that God’s grace is always sufficient for the painful trials he has decreed for us in his wisdom (2 Corinthians 12:9). While these truths are presented to us in Scripture to be a comfort and to provide perspective, the greatest comfort and perspective is the one we gain by contemplating the consummation of all things. One day this pain-filled interlude will be over and the Alpha and Omega will say: “Now the dwelling of God is with men… there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).