What Makes The Holidays Great? Part One

Whether it is Thanksgiving or Christmas, the truth is the same. We would be missing the point as children of God to sin while celebrating. Think about it. Gluttony while we express our Thanksgiving to God? Crass materialism that puts us in debt to celebrate the birth of Jesus? It really doesn't make sense does it? But it is not the sense of it that seems to control us, it is the feeling of it. We do not want to have the feeling that we are not able to give or do for our families what they want us to do. That is human nature. We can want everything our eyes can see. We can live for everything that our flesh desires instead of what God desires.

 I suppose the problem is that we feed our flesh to the point of disobedience to God while we celebrate what He has done for us. If you say it outloud, it is a striking reality to have come from your mouth. "I will celebrate what God has done for me by being materialistic and gluttenous." "I will create a financial crisis for our family that will make us all miserable for months so we can be happy for one day". No, it just doesn't sound right. So what to do?

Oh no, here it comes, we are supposed to do something frugal or noble instead of doing something really great. Yes, I know that is how it "feels". It is interesting to hear some of the testimonies of people who have made biblical plans for the holidays. It seems that their service for others and their personal sacrifices are remembered much longer than the presents they could not remember months later. It is kind of like sharing your faith. People dread the potential conflict until they see someone else respond to the Lord and be saved. You have to push through the anticipation of the negative to receive what the Father has in mind for us. Well, lets look at a couple of verses that apply. To see the second you will have to read Part Two!

 1 John 2:15-17 "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. ¹⁶ For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. ¹⁷ And  this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (New Living Translation)