“It’s the most Wonderful time of the year.”
I absolutely love the Christmas season. A season when we pause and give thanks to the Lord for the biggest gift mankind received, the gift of salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ, the son of the living God. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
So how can we make Jesus Christ the focus in our giving this Christmas?
Here are a few ideas to get you going:
- Gift of Scripture – “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13 NIV
- Write a list of all the people that you plan to give gifts to this year and ask the Lord for to give you a word for each one of them. Set aside 10-15 minutes a day to pray for one person on your list at a time and ask the Lord to reveal His heart for them with a scripture.
- Write that scripture on a homemade card or you can Google an image of the scripture and print it out. Pinterest is also a great source of inspiration when it comes to this.
- Gift of Fellowship – “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
- You know how we are always trying to have tea/coffee with each other during the year, but our calendars are just too full? Set aside a day and time in your calendar in the first three months of the year, e.g. Saturday morning 10am. Buy a box of teabags that are individually wrapped inside. Take two bags, staple or glue them onto a page and write an invitation with a scripture asking for time with that lady in their calendar in the new year. They then bring the tea bags to your fellowship time together.
- You can do the same as above but with a box of individually wrapped biscuits or coffee pods.
From the 25th of September (3 months to Christmas), I start tingling with excitement rejoicing that Jesus our Saviour has come. Oh, come let us adore Him!