YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOUR GIFTS

OFFER YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOUR GIFTS

There is no uncertainty that the deepest attachment of Christmas to man can be the highest detachment to God almighty. To break this statement into a more simple language, our Christmas would never make meaning if we have not opted to view and apply the celebration of Christmas as from Gods perspective. Hence, what are our already desired thoughts to Christmas this year? Are they of good or of bad? It should interest us that no matter what/how it might be, if there is no understanding to the genesis and meaning of Christmas, celebrating Christmas is thus meaningless.

Many years ago, I was meant to believe that Christmas is a time to get new clothing, a time to eat and drink to the fullest. A time to visit places like zoo’s, wild life parks, museums, PRTV, NTA among several other recreational activities. I was meant to believe that the season of Christmas is a time to say ‘happy Christmas’ to somebody and expect money in return, if need be, go from houses to houses ‘aiming at money’ in the name of happy Christmas. Though it is not bad, but, is that the true meaning of Christmas? That should be a celebration of the new born king without an encounter.  It is indeed period without understanding what Christmas really meant. But now, I realize that even though Christmas is a moment of celebration, it must have to be celebrated with meaning. And this meaning can only be actualized when we give positive answers to certain germane questions as to whom this new born king is; a reason for commemorating Christmas.

Do you have anything to offer to Jesus Christ this Christmas?

Offering your life this Christmas precedes the offering of your gift. The 3 wise men did not only visited Jesus but they offered something precious (gifts) to the new born king. They did not only offer precious gifts, but they offered good worship to the new born king. What do you have to offer to this new born king this year’s Christmas? The bible says, “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.(Matthew 2:11). These 3 wise men didn’t offer their gift before the fell down and worshiped the new born King; instead they offer their life through worship before offering their gifts. What do you have to offer to Jesus Christ this Christmas celebration? That is why I said that, ‘If you don’t have gold to offer to Jesus Christ, offer good worship, if you don’t have frankincense, offer fervent fellowship and love for others, if you don’t have myrrh to offer to Jesus Christ, offer your mellifluous (sweet-sounding) body’. Also note that if you don’t have anything to give, you can give yourself to Jesus. Offer yourself to the service of God can be the best way to celebrate your Christmas this year.  When we offer our body to Jesus Christ, we would live to enjoy this year’s Christmas with meaning. Instead of people to offer their bodies to God, they offer it cheaply for immoral activities. God expect us to offer our body as a living sacrifice. The only way to bring meaning to this year’s Christmas is to offer ourselves to God Almighty. What have you prepared to offer to this new born king this year, your life or your gifts?

A room for the new Born King

            Christmas is a moment of creating a room for the new born King in our hearts. Many years ago, a man (Inn keeper) misses the opportunity of being the first earthly host of Jesus Christ. When Joseph and his pregnant and in-labour wife approached the inn keeper, he said that there was no place in the inn. This made the messiah to be born in the manger. The bible says, “and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” - Luke 2:7. Make room for Jesus this Christmas. Everywhere you go this Christmas, represent Christ. There is benefit that accompanies creating room for Christ. This was what the inn-keeper miss and he became the greatest looser in history. Let us not be like the inn-keeper this season. Create room for Jesus and your celebration of Christmas this year will be meaningful.          

            In our today’s world, Christmas is coined to be something different. It is a time when evil and frivolous activities are on the increase. It is a time when many people visit their churches for the first time in a year. It is a time when many people have to travel to their villages for the first time in a year. It is a time when people wash their carpets for the first time in a year. It is a time when people eat and drink to satisfy their bellies. It is a time when the Church is filled to capacity. It is a time when people visit places like zoo, people’s houses, wild life parks, amusement parks or even museums. It is a time when people will say ‘happy Christmas’ to expect money in return. It is a time when people compete on who will first finish plenty bottles of alcoholic drinks. It is a time when people make their hairs for the first time in a year. It is a time when people opt for new shoes, dresses and do all sort of make-ups. If all these are they thoughts of many people about Christmas, is it truly the Christmas? If no, what then is the real meaning of Christmas?

            Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed holiday celebrated generally on the 25th of December, yearly. It’s a red-letter-day that must remain indelible in our lives as Christians. The Gregorian calendar is not complete if 25th December is not given due recognition, hence, the birth of Christ must be highly recognized in our lives. Of a truth, ‘Christmas celebration will never make meaning if we have not received and recognized Jesus Christ into our lives’. About 60% and above of people who celebrate Christmas, celebrate it without understanding the meaning of Christmas. They celebrate it blindly because people are equally celebrating. They eat because people are eating. They practice lust instead of love and later get lost, and at the end of the day, they call it the spirit of Christmas.

How much love would you give this year’s Christmas?

It was love that made it possible for our almighty God to send His only begotten son (Jesus) to save us from our sins. We must love as Christ loves. Love entails giving and sharing. So therefore, we must share that which we have with others this Christmas. We must learn to love other people this Christmas with sincerity. The expenses that we opt to make, please we should include that of those who cannot be able to afford. When we practice true love this Christmas, we would make many people happy. We should meet a need this Christmas. Therefore, we should find a need and meet it. Youths of today, have devised ways to practice lust instead of love, a lust that leads to their lost. If we must enjoy this Christmas, we must love with good motive and not with wrong motive. Love is of the essence, and we must love to make this Christmas lovely. How have you decided to love this year’s Christmas? a question that must not be left unanswered this season of Christmas..

                What have you already thought of Christmas?, have you thought of another routine and normal Christmas?, have you thought of doing unholy things this year’s Christmas again? How have you programmed your Christmas this year? If this is your reason, please pause, and check very properly before celebrating this year’s Christmas. Offer your life before your gifts has come to challenge us to celebrate a meaningful Christmas. Therefore, we must realize that Christmas is a moment of love and sharing. It is a moment of encounter that should be contagious. It is a moment to find a star that should lead us to where God only designed it to stop. It is a moment of renewal of the heart. It is a moment of opening our hearts while Christ himself is standing at the door knocking very hard. It is a moment of taking the good news of the new born king to the world. It is a moment of joy and happiness. It is a moment of celebration. It is a moment to grow to find favour with and God. We must bring light to this Christmas, and to do that we must have Christ in us. Christmas is a moment of reaching the unreached; like the poor n t he widows. Christmas is a moment to care for those who are sick, a visit to the hospital can make a lot of difference. And I can boldly say that ‘Christmas celebration without Christ is a waste of time’, ‘Christmas celebration without Christ is meaningless’, ‘Christmas celebration without Christ is disaster’, ‘Christmas without Christ nothing but crisis.’ Christmas is come again, and we should celebrate it well. Never celebrate a Christmas without meaning, for a meaningless Christmas is an unhappy Christmas. This write up has come to stir our hearts on how to offer ourselves to Jesus Christ before offering our gifts. You must first know the new born king (Jesus) before you can celebrate this Christmas very meaningfully.

“God is here. This truth should fill our lives, and every Christmas should be for us a new and special meeting with God, when we allow his light and grace to enter deep into our soul”.

Happy Christmas and a prosperous Happy New Year to you all.