A few nights ago, as I lay in my bed, I was concerned, because I was not feeling the Christmas Spirit. I began praying to God and this was my prayer: Dear Lord, please do not let this Christmas season pass by me, without letting me experience, in my heart, the true meaning of Christmas". Then I fell asleep. A couple nights later, as I started to pray, I began to experience a miracle from within. God began to speak to my heart. As He began to speak, visions of what He was saying became clear in my mind. Tears began to stream down my face, as my emotions were stirred, and the true meaning of Christmas was revealed. The next thing I knew it was 5 a.m. and I had not fallen asleep yet. It was as though time stood still. Let me share a few of the things God impressed upon my heart: Christmas is all about love! Love comes from the heart. When we truly love, we will look at the world differently. We will look at the world as God sees it. Love is an action word. We must not just love in word, but in deed. (James 1:22) If we are not celebrating the Christmas season by reaching out, past the four walls of our church and our homes, then we very well might be missing the whole meaning of the Christmas season. What a shame that would be! Here are some hard truths God has revealed to me: How can we sit in our nice warm homes and be content, knowing there are those out there, who have no homes, or no way to heat them? Do we just say "That's their fault. Not my problem"? Maybe they lost their job, through no fault of their own and can't afford to heat their home. Our nursing homes are filled with elderly, lonely people just wasting away, who have no family, while very few people even notice. They have payed their dues to society over the years and now seem to be forgotten! Such are filled with such wisdom. Do we even care? One day, one of our dear loved one's might be there? How can we have such a feast of food, at the Christmas season, knowing their are those who are hungry and some are even starving? How can we spend all our money on presents, for people who don't even need what we buy them, half of the time, nor do they use it, when there are so many needs out there, right in front of our eyes? Do we turn the other way? Like walking right by the Salvation Army bell-ringer, at our local shopping centers? We try to impress with our fancy Christmas cloths, knowing there are those who are in real need of just the simple everyday clothing. There are those sitting in jail and prisons, who seem to have been forgotten, especially at Christmas time. God says we are to remember them, as being in prison with them. We put a smile on our face and say Merry Christmas. Do we really care if they are going to have a Merry Christmas, or are those just words? What about the homeless on the street, or the "so called" bum walking down the railroad track? Or the hitchhiker? What about the abused? Do we ever notice an abused child? Or do we look the other way and pretend we do not know? What about the abused teenager, or the abused wife, or sometimes the abused husband? Do we ever get involved, so we can try to help them? Christmas has become a materialistic holiday. We buy the biggest and the most expensive gifts, trying to outdo one another in our giving. Often times, by obligation, because of the season, not from the heart and in time it's newness begins to wear off and it becomes of little importance to the one who received it. Why do we wait until Christmas to give? At Christmas time, when we think we are giving, we show ourselves to be even more selfish than other times of the year. We completely ignore the needy and spend selfishly, and sometimes foolishly on ourselves. What about that lonely Aunt, Uncle, grandma or grandpa? Even a simple candy bar, or a bowl of soup, can bring a smile to their face. It doesn't take much to bring joy to a lonely person. Most everyone knows someone in the service, or a family, who has a loved one serving our country? Find out, make a special effort to send them a card, or a care package, showing them you care. Have you tryed reaching out to that "grumpy" old man, or woman you know? Everyone has at least one of them in his, or her life. Don't be surprised if you melt that hard heart, and catch a smile from old "prune face". These are just a few of the things God has placed on my heart. After my encounter with God, I realized, what He reminded me of, was not a new revelation, but what He had already written in His Word long ago. Matthew 25:31-46, why not read it for yourself, and ask God, what He would have you to do this Christmas for Him. His Word says "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me". (Matthew 25:40b) Don't let this Christmas season pass you by, without experiencing the "True" meaning of Christmas. It is all about LOVE. God's love for us, in sending us His very own Son and our love for others. Gift giving started many years ago, when the wise men brought gifts to the stable in Bethlehem, to honor, the newborn Baby Jesus. By giving our gifts, to help the poor and needy "the least of these" we are honoring God Himself. And we all know, especially this Christmas season, the needs are great!
