The Heart of Christmas
When do you take down your Christmas decorations? I encourage you to keep the Christmas music playing when you embark on that task and maybe even select a decoration to leave out as a reminder to keep Christ in all your days in 2022. He is the heart of Christmas and the adoration for what God has done for us through Christ should stay with us every day.
This December our energy was zapped here at Shiloh by a virus and we were hesitant to invite anyone to enjoy the decorations not wanting to spread our germs. As I looked around at the beautiful decorations I did a heart check as to why we decorate. Is it to honor the birth of Christ? Is it for our personal joy and the nostalgia our heirloom decorations reflect? Is it to bring delight to those who enter our homes? Maybe all of the above?
Those of you who know me well, know I love to offer hospitality to others. In the March 1983 Readers Digest there was a story about a sign at the entrance of an English castle open to the public which reads,
"It is the duty of the host to make his guests feel at home. It is the duty of the guests to remember that they are not." Don't you love it! I missed making people feel at home this Christmas season, but it was an excellent time of reflection of why we invite others into our lives.
In our faith lingo we speak of inviting Christ into our hearts. Hmm. We like to be in control don't we. In reality, these are the very hearts He created and the hearts of which He controls controls every beat.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
That's the verse we like to go to about "inviting Jesus into our hearts", but as I read this it doesn't mention our hearts and it's not about us doing the action, but it is Jesus asking us to do something. Jesus knows when we drift away from fellowship with Him. I don't think this is as much a salvation verse as a "come back to me" verse. Oh, our hearts do wander.
I love Jesus and I love each of you!
Here are two beautiful songs to stir our hearts related to Christ!
The Songs
Is There Room in Your Heart
Make Room Casting Crowns Matt Maher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUFSxt7qkNw
The Heart of Christmas Matthew West
