In Progress...

So I'm really struggling with Christmas this year in a way I never have in the past. God has been teaching me a lot of things these past few months, and much of them have to do with my answer to the question "Is Jesus enough?" The quick Sunday School answer is, "of course Jesus is enough, he is all I need." Yet, if Jesus is enough, why do I need stuff. Why do I long for junk? In my own mind, this desire goes way beyond a want, and becomes a need, and maybe even beyond that, it becomes a necessity for living.
i have to admit that I have bought into the lie of the world for way too long. It has been a hard journey for me, but I am coming to realize that I don't need the latest and greatest to be happy or fulfilled. Just when my mind is turning around on this issue, here comes Christmas. A holi(holy)day that is supposed to center on the birth of our savior and God, but has somehow gone the route of presents, and stuff, and basically excess. It hit me when I was basically making up things for Sarah to get me this Christmas. I though, "what am I doing?" This is ridiculous, I'm just thinking up stuff I don't need for Sarah to get me.
And where is Jesus in all of this? Where is Jesus on Christmas morning? Where does he fit into the picture?
I don't have all the answers, or maybe any at this point. And maybe this doesn't even make sense to you right now, but I hope it will.
Here is the question I want you to think about... how can we separate the commercialistic mindset of a modern Christmas and the actual celebration of the coming of Jesus? How are you doing that in your own life? How are you keeping Jesus at the center of his holi(holy)day that the world has removed him from and calls it xmas?

Labels: Events, For Discussion...