You’re Worth Loving
This year St. Peter’s UCC in Grant Park is providing the book A Love Worth Giving to You at Christmas by Max Lucado for our members to distribute to their families, friends, and neighbors as a small gift. Each book includes an invitation to worship with our church family on Christmas Eve.
Throughout Advent we are reminding everyone that they are worth loving! Lucado writes, “(Jesus) went from commanding angels to sleeping in straw. From holding stars to clutching Mary’s finger. The palm that held the universe took the nail of a soldier. Why? Because that’s what love does.”
Each day, during Advent, join us for a journey to see just how much God’s love for you is evidenced in the story of Christmas.
Don’t Be a Grinch
I would highly doubt that anyone reading these Advent Devotions would be considered a Grinch to Steal Christmas; however, I know that the stress of the holiday season often brings out the worst in us at times.
As we read and listen to the story of Christmas in the Scriptures we see a lot of good characters in the story. For example, the angels, the shepherds, Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary & Joseph, but we don’t see the villains that we’d expect to read about.
You know, like Satan, or even an evil King like Herod, until after the arrival of Jesus.
We don’t see the Grinch-like character during these weeks of the Advent season, but we would have to venture a guess that there’s at least one out there. After all, we encounter Grinch-like people almost every day of our lives if we are hanging out in the real world.
The Grinch hated Christmas. Why? No one really knows; however, it was the role of the Grinch to ruin the joy, the singing, the eating, the entire celebration of Christmas.
So, how did the Grinch become “The Grinch?”
I read a paraphrase of Shakespeare written by a preacher.
It read, “Some are born grinchy, some achieve grinchiness, and some have grinchiness thrust upon them.”
So, what was it that made this character the Grinch of Christmas?
Hatred and bitterness can sneak up on us if we aren’t careful. We can spend years celebrating Christmas, enjoying the preparations of family gatherings, spending tons of money on over-priced Christmas presents, putting on the miles driving or flying to spend Christmas with loved ones, and more.
Before long, the joys of Christmas become the stresses and anxieties of Christmas that spark Grinch-like traits. We may not even realize it and before we know it we’re the ones that our family and friends are trying to avoid spending time with at Christmas.
We can’t let the gifts, the money, the travel, the preparations get in the way.
We need to be still and hear some of the sayings of Christmas and treasure them in our hearts.
Sayings like:
“Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God.”
“Glory to God in the highest! Peace on earth among those God favors.”
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.”
When the words of God’s Word resonate in our hearts we can avoid becoming a Grinch.
YOU are WORTH loving! Even if you’ve stumbled along the way and have grown into bitterness, anger, and hatred you can give them over to God and find real peace in Him.
Prayer: Loving God, our prayer today is that we would turn our ears to Your Word. Let us treasure words of wisdom from Scripture that will keep us from having a bad spirit this Christmas. Amen.
***I am providing this passage from Proverbs 4:20-27 (NIV) as a reading for today to remind us of the importance of filling our lives with God’s Word.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
Proverbs 4:20-27, NIV
turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[a] paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.