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The sights, sounds and smells of Christmastime should cause us to pause and celebrate Christ. As we see the glow of lights, let our own hearts be merry and bright because the Light of the world has come. As we hear holiday music, let us smile because Jesus has put a new song in our hearts. As we walk past the Salvation Army worker, let us remember Jesus came to work for our salvation. It’s all there: the CHORUS of praise, the WRAPPING of swaddling clothes, the TREE made into a cross, the GIFT of eternal life. May every fleck of tinsel, note of a carol and morsel of a cookie remind us: Jesus is the reason for the season.

Our sin prevents nearness to God because it separates us from Him with no possible way from our side to get to Him. Christmas reminds us Jesus came to live, die and rise so you and I can draw near to God. All who trust in Jesus for forgiveness and freedom from sin are no longer distant from real peace, real hope, real joy, real comfort, real security, real wisdom, and real love because we are no longer distant from God where these things are found. Our Immanuel made a way for us to get forgiven, get real life, get to heaven and get to God. Rejoice today over this truth: When we could not get to Him, Jesus came to us.

Our thoughts have the power to shape us, for better or for worse, so we must let our minds land most often on Jesus. His Good News message is full of life-changing truths and promises that will guide us into a right perspective on every life issue. It changes how we see our past so we can know real freedom from guilt and shame. It changes how we see our present so we can know real purpose and peace in the midst of busyness. It changes how we see our future so we can know real hope as we joyfully anticipate what lies ahead. The more we think about Jesus, the more it will rewire how we think about everything else.

Even as Christians, one of the human weaknesses that we must continue to seek divine strength to overcome is our bent to be selfish. We need the mind and heart of Christ: a mind that regularly thinks of others rather than just ourselves, and a heart that is compassionate enough to serve and support others even at our own expense. It should be the golden rule, not the exception, to give up what we want so others can get what they need. That is when we are like Jesus. Today, go out of your way to do for others, joyfully remembering this: Jesus went out of His way from heaven to earth to the cross to do for you.

There may be empty seats at the table this year. Whether it’s because loved ones are far from home, or have gone home to be with Jesus, we will miss them as we gather to give thanks. Yet, we will give thanks. For God has been good to us, so very good to us, all the days of our lives. And part of our thanks this year will be for the ways God has blessed us through the ones who are not with us. The love we have shared. The memories we have made. The joy we have experienced together. Let us remember those who aren’t at their place at the table, and let us remember to give thanks to God for their place in our hearts.

We can be grateful for many things, and we should be. We can be grateful to many people, and we should be. We can be grateful on many occasions, and we should be. But there is One who makes every good thing, every good person and every good occasion in our lives possible by His amazing grace. God sent Jesus to be perfect for us because we aren’t, absorb wrath for sin so we don’t, and secure the blessings for us that we can’t. Jesus paid our sin penalty and paid for our special privileges so that we might be forgiven, freed and favored. Today and every day, let us offer thanks for His giving.

The sweetest of all thankfulness isn’t superficial; it goes deep. It goes past feeling happy that certain things are in our lives. It goes past naming those things so it is known that we appreciate them. It goes past even tracing their origin back to God and thanking the Giver for all of our blessings. There is a delightful, wonderful, beautiful experience when our gratitude is not merely directed toward God for His gifts, but toward God for Himself. We give thanks that among many things, He is a holy, loving, kind and gracious Father. The way to be best thankful for all that God has given us is to be most thankful for Him.

For all who trust in Jesus, there is a glorious eternity ahead in which bad things will be eliminated, good things will be perfected, and the best things will be unveiled. We have an eternity with Him that… Never gets stale. Never gets boring. Never gets routine. Never gets unappealing. Never gets finished. There will always be more to discover and enjoy from the immeasurable riches of God’s grace towards us in Christ Jesus. Don’t live for this day; live for that day. Don’t be discouraged by this day; be encouraged by that day. Take hope in this every day: For those who are trusting in Jesus, the best is always yet to come.

God is always near to His people in every situation and season. In good and bad times. In easy and hard times. In happy and sad times. He is not distant or absent, but rather present and constant. As the Father, He was near as He dwelt in the cloud, fire and tabernacle. As the Son, He drew near in His incarnation, dwelling in flesh to save us. As the Spirit, He is permanently, personally near, indwelling those who trust in Him. His nearness means we can experience the strength, hope, joy, peace, rest, security, guidance and delight of being in His presence. Sing praises to our God! He is always near.

We are prone to want things and want things now. But we often make a mess of things by acting hastily. To avoid getting nowhere fast, we should prayerfully answer three questions: Does God want me to do this? How does God want me to do this? When does God want me to do this? When we slow down and sincerely seek His will, He gives us the right desire, the right way and the right time to do the things that are right for us. Even more than that, He graciously encourages us and empowers us and equips us for the doing. Praise God! We will never miss the way when we are walking in stride with Jesus.