Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #51
December 25, 2023
Today I’ll be reflecting on Christmas Gifts
I hope that some people read this blog. I suspect that I will have fewer readers than usual. Given that Monday is on Christmas Day, I imagine that most people will be opening presents, dining with family, and giving presents.
Every Christmas I am always given beautiful and thoughtful presents by family and friends. I truly don’t need anything, but it is nice to open presents that have been carefully selected for me. Mostly my gifts are books and movies which are passions of mine. I appreciate the gifts and the thoughts behind them.
I imagine that everyone enjoys giving and receiving gifts, even if we do not need them. We live in a world that places a great value on possessions. “More is better” is the mentality. Children especially, desire more and more toys. Sometimes adults never outgrow these desires.
This year, I have not yet given or received gifts. That will come later today. No matter what gifts that I receive, I hope that I accept the real Christmas gifts that I am always freely given, the love, joy, and peace of God in Christ.
God teaches us at Christmas, that we are so important to him, that he made himself into a human to join us in life. Let us respond to that love.
God offers us each Christmas to share life with us so that no matter what life gives us, either the good or the bad, we can know Christ’s peace. Do we accept that peace?
God gives us the joy of knowing him each Christmas. Are we willing to accept this gift and live joyfully, even when the world gives us difficult times.
If we don’t accept God’s love, joy, and peace this Christmas, then we have missed the greatest Christmas gifts. If we don’t wish these gifts for others, then we have missed the spirit, and lessons, of Christmas. God offers us these great gifts. When we accept these gifts, then we are obligated to pass on these gifts to others.
Do we give the gifts of joy, love, and peace, to everyone, even our worst enemies? Do we pray for those who view us as the “enemy,” someone who dislikes us, or someone that we dislike? If not, we are not imitating God’s love in Christ.
May we accept these Christmas gifts from God, and using these gifts, may we seek the blessing of the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless, those who adore us and those who hate us. When we do this, we will be thanking God for the gifts that God has given us first.
Merry Christmas. I pray that you will accept these gifts from God and pass these on to another.
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