Daily Devotional: Tuesday, Jan 19
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Reset Me
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Today is the Day by Lincoln Brewster; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin; How He Loves by David Crowder Band.
Read: Psalm 51:12; Philippians 4: 4-9; Matthew 5:14-16
Think: January 19, 2010. Just a little over three weeks ago we celebrated Christmas. How quickly we move along! Work begins to consume us once again, kids are beginning new semesters in school perhaps, very real tragedies pierce our hearts, and before you know it we will be filing tax returns. How quickly we can turn the page.
Several weeks ago I was determined to de-commission our Christmas decorations for the year before the weekend elapsed. Truth be told the very last lights of 2008 weren't put away until May of that year, as we had a couple of remote trees that I just didn't get to. My neighbor kidded me that if I simply waited another month I would be more then half way through the year and I could now claim I was being proactive for 2009 by leaving them up! Yes I am THAT neighbor. This year was different though. I did get all the lights down in one day.
But one thing perpetually struck me that day. How easy it was to de-commission the symbols of Christmas. Lights that took days to carefully put up were pulled down within minutes. While I started out with eager ambitions to complete the task, I sadly realized that sometimes the joys of the season are just as quickly forgotten or even disposed of. With each strand of light pulled from the trees I started to think about what Christmas really means, what joys did I experience and how will I this year celebrate the meaning of Christmas throughout the year? Here's a couple from my shortlist:
- Rejoice! Several times during Christmas I witnessed the joy of the season. Between services on Christmas Eve I saw much hugging and celebration as students back from college break saw each other for the first time in many months. I can remember just watching and taking joy in their raucous reunions. Families gathered together with a special glow about each of them. This year I will look for and know that this certainly is not limited to Christmas. Joy can often surround us if we are open to looking for it. I hope to encounter many more "Christmas Reunions" throughout 2010.
- A lasting investment. The joys of the Christmas season are built with such care... decorations... food... gifts... parties... food... singing ...time with family and friends... and more food of course! It comes and goes so quickly, what can I do make a lasting investment? Pretty simple really, never ever forget the reason we can celebrate not only Christmas, but each day of the year. We have a living Savior who is as real today as He was over 2000 years ago when His earthly presence was made known. Will I share the Good News this year throughout the year? Will I let the joy of my salvation shine as brightly as the lights of Christmas? See Matthew 5:14-16. That is my prayer as I Reset My New Year, My New Strategy.
Do: Think back for just a moment upon Christmas 2009. What made it special, what lasting memory do you have? What did I miss in the midst of the celebration? What will I carry forward with me each day of the year and not wait until Christmas 2010?
Pray: Dear Father may I never forget the gift you have given us in your Son Jesus Christ. Let me each day celebrate the Joy of Salvation, and the gift of life you have given us. May your light shine brightly this day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
