Surviving the Silly Season

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. It's a time of gathering together with family, sharing around the giving and receiving of gifts and most importantly, celebrating God's great gift of Jesus.

However in the desire to make Christmas special it can become a time of year fraught with 'busyness' and overspending and stress. How as followers of Jesus can we ensure we don't get caught up in the commercialism of Christmas and forget what we are really celebrating.

Here's some thoughts.

1. Jesus is the reason

This can begin to sound like a slogan but when we remember the real reason we are celebrating - then we can keep our focus on God.

John 3:16
God loved us so much that he gave his only Son that whoever believes may have eternal life.

As we go about all the things we think we need to do think about how it fits into what God has done for us.

2. Presents are not everything
It's wonderful to receive gifts and it's even more wonderful to give gifts. However a material gift may not be the way to go.

Here's a couple of my thoughts.

Being present is more important than a present.
A gift of time - choosing to spend time with people is an important way we can give of ourselves that others will remember, sometimes more than any material gift we can give.

Give the gift of memories.
As we get older we don't really remember the majority of the gifts we are given. We remember the experiences of the people we were with.

What other ways can we give?

3. Do something for someone else
It's a time of year where a lot of things are happening but when we focus on others, who are not as well off as us, we give them a gift and teach our children that Christmas is about giving and loving and caring.

This could be anything
- Visit a nursing home
- Donate toys to a charity
- Bake a cake for a neighbour
- Buy flowers for a friend
- Random acts of kindness

There are plenty of other ideas. If you need an idea find out what others are doing. Pinterest is a great source of inspiration.

4. Some Practical tips
Only spend what you have. Our children do not need lots of things - choose to give them memories.

Buy presents throughout the year or layby and pay it off. Going into debt for Christmas is not helpful for you or the family

Make home made gifts instead,  they are often more appreciated because of the personal touch.

Only eat till you are satisfied; you will feel better for it and stay healthier

Get enough sleep - if you can - go to bed earlier if you need to

Drink lots of water - too much sugar makes you sick  and too much alcohol dehydrates so try to avoid excess

Find time to exercise - it is good for the body but also good for the soul. Our mental health is related to how much we exercise and what we eat.

5. Spend time with God

This is the most important thing we can do. Take time to be with God and spend quality time with him each day.

Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. [29] He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. [30] Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. [31] But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

We are not meant to do life separated from God. When we are tired and things are busy, go to him, give him the things that worry and tire us out and wait on him. He will renew and enable.

Some other ideas that can help:
Choose to think about what is good and right and lovely. Make a last of the good things and think on them.

Start a gratitude journal or a gratitude jar.

Do something you love - make time for if

Have a wonderful Christmas season.

Worship

A few weeks ago at WOW we explored worship. We began by listening to a worship song,  just listening and reflecting on the words and allowing God's presence to settle around us, taking the time to be conscious of his presence.

We reflected on the following.
What do these words mean? What do they mean to me? What is God speaking about to me?

As we did this each person present received a word from God,  reassurance,  encouragement and empowerment.  So often we get too busy to really worship and reflect. This became a powerful moment and a powerful teacher about putting aside distraction and entering God's presence in true worship.

Worship

God desires us to worship him in Spirit and in truth. The following is part of the discussion Jesus had with the woman at the well. It highlights God's desire for people everywhere to worship God in spirit and it truth.

John 4:19-24 NLT
"Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet. [20] So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?" [21] Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. [23] But the time is coming-indeed it's here now-when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. [24] For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."

Worship is acknowledging God and who God is. This means giving God first place in all that we do. God is looking for people who will worship him in Spirit and truth. This is worship that connects deeply with God in our hearts and spirit, connecting with God's Spirit and coming with an open heart and a real desire to have relationship with God.

Psalm 29:1-2 NLT
Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings; honor the LORD for his glory and strength. [2] Honor the LORD for the glory of his name. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

Psalm 29:10-11 NLT
The LORD rules over the floodwaters. The LORD reigns as king forever. [11] The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.

Isaiah speaks the word of God to the people about just going through the motions of worship and the attitudes of our heart in worship. God wants our hearts not our words.

Isaiah 29:13 NLT
And so the Lord says, "These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.

Jesus repeated this when he challengesthe Pharisees about their behaviours and attitudes towards God.

Matthew 15:7-9 NLT
You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, [8] 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. [9] Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.'"

This raises a question for each one of us. How can we ensure our worship does not become 'man-made rules' but comes from the heart?

1 Timothy 2:8 NLT
In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.

God is interested in our attitude and heart condition in worship.  It is not about the words no matter how grand or sincere they sound. Jesus also spoke about our attitudes when we come to worship and ensuring that our hearts are truly open to him.

What attitudes towards God and others colours our worship?

What does it mean to bring a sacrifice of praise to God when we come to worship him?

Romans 1:25 NLT
They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

The trap, in fact it's almost a tendency in human nature,  is to transfer our worship, to move the priority of our lives away from worship and to trust other things instead. Idols seem obvious, but we can make idols of work, family etc. These things may be important but when they replace honouring and worshiping God as the most important thing,  they become idols.

Thought and challenge:
When the opinion of a person on social media is more important to you than who God says you are, you've set that person above God.

What vies for our attention?

We worship God in praise when we come to him and thank him for all he has done. Read the following and hear the heart of the psalmist as  he seeks God.

Psalm 40:1-8 NLT
I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. [2] He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. [3] He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.

4] Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. [5] O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

6] You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand - you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. [7] Then I said, "Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: [8] I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart."

This is all about Who God is and what he has done.

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray he started with worship and honoring God.

Matthew 6:9-10 NLT
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. [10] May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. When Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:9 when teaching the disciples to pray he began with honoring God and seeking the honour of God in all that we do.

As an exercise of worship:
Read Psalm 91

Take time to read and to reflect on the psalm,  the words and the heart of the psalmist.

Who is God? How does he reveal himself in these psalms?

Have you experienced God in this way?

What is God saying to you about who he is?

What are different ways we can worship God in our lives?

Take some time to think about why God is worthy of worship and what it means to worship him in spirit and truth.