GETTING

I Was Just Thinking About – GETTING.

From Halloween through the end of the year, the prevailing emphasis is upon “getting.” At Halloween, children are costumed and their appeal to residents in a community is upon “getting” by using a simple phrase – “Trick or Treat.” Lost in the midst of the Halloween tradition is the historical fact of the nailing of 95 Theses on the Church Door in Wittenberg, Germany by Martin Luther in 1517 that gave rise to the Protestant Reformation.

We so quickly move into a brief recognition of a Thanksgiving Day. We so seldom remember the historic celebration by the Pilgrims in the autumn of 1621 as they celebrated the colony's first successful harvest. These were days of prayer and praise - not feasting. How many homes will have priority time to implement just one passage from God’s Word – Colossians 3:12-17? Verses 12 through 14 address the virtues by which one is directed to “clothe yourselves” – a commitment to a transformed lifestyle that is to be present in one’s life. Verse 15 closes with a very succinct and direct admonition – “And be THANKFUL! Verses 16-17 provides one with a formulation on how the THANKFUL spirit can be developed and expressed – “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs WITH GRATITUDE in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS TO GOD the Father through Him.”

This past week I was in the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, AL. It occurred to me that in the center of that large facility was a display for and with a Santa Claus representation. The person seated there hardly gave the image of a “jolly old Saint Nicholas.” This person was very thin and bespeckled. He seemed friendly enough and was doing an expected job at this time of year. The “Santa” routine is well known – “Have you been a good little girl or boy? What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas?” The child is deceived into believing that he/she will “get” something asked for if only they can convince a fictional representation they have been good enough and deserving enough to receive it.

What is too often forgotten is the true meaning of an event that occurred and is celebrated on one day in the year that on a calendar day called “Christmas Day. ”If only there would be the rehearsal of the true meaning of Jesus Christ being born by the reading (perhaps memorizing) Luke 2:1-20. If only there was the reference to John 3:16 that emphasizes, “God so loved the world that HE GAVE us His only begotten Son…” If only there was an emphasis upon Galatians 4:4, that “In the fullness of time, God sent His Son to redeem…” a people for Himself. What will you GIVE to your Lord and God this season of the year? He would be pleased if you surrendered your life to Him.

Prayerfully – consider these things with me!