Reflections On Christmas (II)

We celebrate the love
of God to humanity and relate this love to those who have not received Jesus as their Lord and personal savior by sharing God’s word with them and as well giving gifts of all kinds to them. It is also a time to show example in speech, in conduct, in faith, in purity because God first laid down these steps for us to follow, when for our sins, He gave us His only begotten son, Jesus Christ.  We as Christians reciprocate this special gift of God by also caring for the less privilege in our society – this way of evangelizing God’s word with sharing of gifts of all kind, we think will increase heaven’s population and de-populate hell.
Furthermore, in obedience to Jesus’s command in Matthew 25:35 – “whatsoever you do to the least of my brother that you do unto me. When I was hungry you gave me to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me to drink, when I was naked you clothed me. Now enter into the home of my father.” As Christians, it is our responsibility to put food on the table of those who can’t afford food, clothe those who are naked and give drink to those thirsty.
It is very unfortunate that today, only a very handful of Christians understand the true meaning and essence of the Christmas season, as they properly ultilise the command Jesus gave in Matthew 25:35 and John 15:12 and are still doing this.
The Bible says that it is more better to give than to receive and only the wise Christians understand what this means and have been using the period to show love to the poor/needy through act of alms giving of material things in cash and kind as they meditate upon and celebrate the essence of this season – bearing in mind that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:1-23.
As Christians we are expected to visit homes of the elderly, the sick in the hospitals, the prisoners, the orphanage homes, the widows/widowers and the less privilege in our society with gifts of all kind which include provision such as biscuits, cornflakes, sardines, milk, lucozade boost, Indomie, buckets of custard, quaker-oaths, sachet/liquid peak milk, sugar etc.
Material gifts such as wrappers, clothes, undies, shoes, headgear, hats, caps, bed sheets, even cars and buildings could be given. In fact, whatsoever valuables that you so cherish should be sacrificially given out as gifts to those that are in need of them, this is why the season is also known as a season to show love to the sick, prisoners, neighbours, friends, pastors, church members and poor/needy in our society.
Some monetary donations, would go a long way to help them in paying for their medical bills and buy prescribed drugs for their fast and full recovery and not only prayers.
Food stuff such as bags of rice, yam, beans, tin/fresh tomatoes, bottle/can-drinks, chickens, stock fish, goats, cartons of maggi, bags of salt, dry/fresh pepper, onions, cows, tooth brushes, pastes, body creams, deodorant, body spray, perfumes, etc. and above all to pray with them for instant divine healing of God upon them.
Apart from the group of people mentioned above, we are expected to give gifts to our spiritual leaders like pastors. This is their work and they somehow can only survive by God who uses human beings to bless them through the amount we put in different sizes of envelopes as pastors’ welfare offerings and all kinds of gifts as that would go a long way to help them release heavenly blessings on us the more because that is what God has called them for.
As Christians if you know you have not been doing all that are enumerated above, and have more than enough to spend, eat, drink, wear, occupy, enough cars parked at your compound and different places and one at a time you cruised around in at will, it then means that you are selfish, greedy and disobedient to God’s command. Matthew 25:35-39.
It takes obedience to God’s command for one to have peace, comfort, protection and good success in life. Jesus said, “Whoever has the son has eternal life.” John 3:36. By receiving Him into your life you also are made a child of God. John 1:14, receive the forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:46), and become a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17). Your future becomes a life of discovery of his gracious plan for you -Ephesians 1:18f.
A long time ago he was born in a manger. But he wishes to be born within your heart today (Revelation 3:20). This Christmas season receive the greatest gift that can ever be given. Open your heart and let the One who was born in a stable in humility, died on the cross in love, and rose from the dead in power, enter in.
Have you accepted the most precious gift he has for you? You can right now.

Concluded

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana