We only have a few more days until Christmas. In these days, the American culture in us often scurries around the town making final purchases at various stores hoping to take advantage of holiday sales to find the perfect gift. The perfect gift is harder and harder to find as the years progress since so many of us already have everything we need and have most likely already purchased items we really want. As I experience life with local refugees, perhaps get older and build upon my relationship with Jesus, my typical “want” list seems trivial and has drastically decreased.

In these last days, our homes are being flipped into more hospitable places for entertaining, our refrigerators and pantries are being filled with our favorite holiday foods and we are eagerly anticipating a chance to finally get down time to enjoy with our family. Many of us literally count the days until Christmas as we frantically prepare for the day to arrive. I wonder how much emphasis is taken off of Jesus as our minds and bodies become busy in the hustle and bustle of pulling things together so that Christmas day will be as perfect as our imagination and desires think that it should be. The week and days before Christmas are special (just as every day is) and perhaps we should take some time to slow down and wholeheartedly think about what was about to happen in the days just before the birth of Jesus over 2000 years ago.

God promised to send a Savior to us many years before Jesus was born:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

What were the people who lived during time of Jesus doing just before his arrival? They were praying, they were spending time with their family, they were working and going on with their normal life it seems. They knew their Savior was coming because they were forewarned:

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-38)

If we knew that Jesus Christ was coming this December 25, 2017, what would be we doing? Think about that. If we really knew that at 6am, December 25, 2017, our Savior would make His arrival, what would we be doing today in response to this awareness? Interesting…believers ARE expecting our Savior to return and to take us home with Him, we just do not know when. He could come at any moment. Are we ready? Are we living today the way we might be living if we knew His return date was say like in three to four days?

Jesus said that people would know who were His followers “if we have love for one another” (John 13:35). The amplified bible says “if we have love and unselfish concern for one another“. Our concerns should be for one another. If we knew that Jesus was coming in four days, we would likely be out loving one another with such compassion that we would surely encourage others by telling them that Jesus is real; He is alive; He absolutely loves them and He wants them to let go of their sinful ways, forgive others and be ready for the day of His coming. This is my heart’s cry.

We must go and boldly tell ALL the nations the good news of Jesus with actions of love! What is the good news? The Kingdom is now. If we repent and choose to believe then we should unashamedly be baptized and joyfully accept the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit enthusiastically receiving the Kingdom to actually reside within us (Acts 2:38)! To make a choice for Jesus is more than buying into a group insurance policy. It is forever sweet and special and a genuine moment by moment relationship with the most high king.

When Jesus comes…we must be ready. As we approach Christmas morning, perhaps our thoughts and actions should always be anticipating that each day could be the day of our Savior’s return. Of course we do not know the exact day that Jesus will return but believers should know by reading His word and watching the signs that are outlined in His word that the time is very near for His return. With all of our mind, heart, and soul, we should be loving Jesus. That means loving Him and loving others. If we love others we are also loving Him. If we do not love one another then we do not really love Him (1 John 4:20). It seems that if we truly had a heart to love others and tell them about our coming Jesus, then we be driven to spend time with Him and with others. We would not divide people into categories and groups by culture, race, ethnicity, political choice, social stance, educational level, neighborhood, financial ability or even by religious belief. We would not waste precious moments but take every opportunity to live and love all people just like Jesus. That perfect gift is the gift of love. Love is God and love never, ever fails (1 John 4:8 and 1 Corinthians 13:8).

Prepare ye the way of the Lord. –A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3)

First, put on Love. –And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:14)

In His love…Merry Christmas.