Scripture:
Philippians 4:4-13 (NIV)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it
again: Rejoice! Let your
gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends
all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and
sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in
me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last
you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no
opportunity to show it. I am not
saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the
circumstances. I know what
it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the
secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Devotional:
Christmas is truly a very wonderful time of year. I love the lights and atmosphere. Seeing all the decorations everywhere can be
a beautiful sight to behold. I also love
to shop for gifts for family and friends.
But there is a danger. If I am
not careful I can get caught up in the commercialism and want more and more. Not necessarily for myself but to give more
to others.
Paul shares that being content with what you have is
important. We need to rejoice to the
Lord in all things. I know it can be
hard to rejoice when you are going through difficult times. Even the Christmas season can be difficult
for someone who have lost a loved one.
But regardless it is important to refocus from ourselves to God. How can we rejoice through bad times? Start by letting go of our anxiety, by prayers and petitions, and with thanksgiving to God.
As we approach Christmas try letting go of your anxieties and
worries. Let of the commercialism and
refocus on God. Be content with where
you are and what you have. God’s peace
and joy will come. In the end think
about what the true meaning of Christmas is.
It isn’t about gifts or having stuff.
It is about love. It is about
Jesus coming for our redemption. The
greatest Christmas gift of all is the gift of Christ…
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