Who’s Birthday??

Christmas time….Jesus birth!

I think sometimes we get into this time of year and because of the hustle and bustle of “the season”, Jesus birthday, things get busy, life’s pace picks up, and somehow people just lose sight of what the focus really should be.

Now, obviously, the crowd I’m speaking to knows that Christmas is about the birth of our Lord and Savior. But I would like to point out something that seems so simple, but yet shines a light on perhaps a forgotten “obvious”.

I recently received a gift from a very special friend for Christmas. In addition to the gift was a written letter from Jesus to us. As I read, I came to a screeching halt. There was one line that caused me to begin to cry. My heart sank. There was so much truth in this one line that I truly stopped and shook my head in wonder.

Here’s the picture that I will paint of that one line.

There’s a birthday celebration going on. Everyone is excited and hustling around to prepare for the big occasion. There’s shopping to do, presents to wrap, cards to buy, treats to bake, and of course the decorating for the party. We spend endless amounts of time searching for just the right gift. After all, this person is so awesome they DESERVE THE BEST. It’s all about the birthday! All about making this a very special day for a very special person. As the days roll by (really fly by) the day finally arrives. It’s Jesus birthday! The day has finally arrived! There’s excitement in the air, Christmas music playing everywhere ushering in the joy of His birthday.

Now, let’s pause here a moment.

Picture this in your mind. We gather together in remembrance of His birth. We sit gathered, with the fire glimmering in the fireplace, the food mostly gone (that part never really happens in Italian families like mine), handing out those well thought out gifts and Jesus is sitting in the room with us. Waiting. Waiting for His gift. Waiting for any gift. Waiting for someone to at least acknowledge HIM. Remember, it’s HIS birthday. Gifts are carefully opened (ya know, like in the Hallmark movies) one at a time, voices lifted in joy and excitement as the “just what I wanted” gifts are opened, everyone’s talking and laughing and as everything begins to wind down and the last gift is opened …..there Jesus sits. No gift, no card, no thank for being here. In fact, we hardly know He’s there….and it’s HIS BIRTHDAY.

Just imagine for a moment that this is you sitting in this gathering. For you, your birthday….and no one even acknowledges you, no one has brought you a gift, a card, no one sings happy birthday to you. In fact, no one even knows your there! They have brought things for one another to share and “bless” one another with….. BUT NOTHING FOR YOU!! How would that make you feel?? Can you imagine the audacity? Can you imagine feeling so rejected that you just get up and quietly leave? It doesn’t even make sense; yet, many do this year after year every time this season comes around. My heart saddens as I write this because I know this is so frequent, even among Christians. I’m sure it hurts our Lord.

Let’s ask ourselves, how much thought has been given to “How can I show how much I love my Savior, how thankful I am for all HE’S done for me? What can I bring to the party to show my gratefulness that He came and was born and died only 33 years later….FOR YOU….FOR ME!?! How can I show my thankfulness every day I get to wake up (we really could just stop there), we get another day.” We don’t even know ALL that our Father has done and protected us from so we could “have just another day”!! (that’s another teaching) Another day to make a difference in someone else’s life. Another day we get to spend time with loved ones, laugh, learn, share the love and joy of Jesus. Let’s ask ourselves,  what can I bring to my saviors birthday? What can I give HIM in return for ALL He’s done for me? Ask Him!!  Just as we let others know what “we’d like for our birthdays” He will surely let you know what He would like.

I will bet that He’ll just say YOU! Your heart, your life, your time!!

IT IS OUR LORD’S BIRTHDAY!!

Our Lord, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the God who created EVERYTHING IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, the Savior of the world who’s saved us from our sins ….. and as if that’s not enough, has saved us from a life without HIM. Let’s make sure we honor HIM ON HIS OWN BIRTH DAY.

Have you carefully chosen a gift for HIM? I’m sure whatever you choose He’ll love it because it’s from you!!