Happy Day After Christmas!

Enjoy this video! Matthew West "Happy Day After Christmas"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPaT5CIj9LA

I wanted to share with you what I believe may be some things on Jesus Christmas Wish List this year (and every year, for that matter).

1. He wants our burdens. (1 Peter 5:7)
Now, why would He want our burdens? Doesn't He have enough to worry about? But here's the thing: He doesn't worry. He doesn't worry, because He already knows what's going to happen. When I say He wants our burdens, I'm not saying He wants to hear us whine and complain all the time, though He wouldn't mind that once in a while. He wants our hearts, open and bare to Him, and any conversation is better than no conversation at all. So, this Christmas, He wants our burdens, so He can take care of them for us.

2. He wants us to give to those in need. (Matthew 25:40)
When He asks us to give to those in need, He's not just talking about money. I know most of us do not have extra money to give away, although I also know that our Jehovah Jireh always provides for our needs. But money is not the only thing people in need, need...They also need our time, our encouragement, our prayers, and our touch. That homeless man on the corner (you know which one I'm talking about), doesn't just need a few bucks. He needs someone to talk to. There is more to "giving" than just money. We all do have schedules that allow, if we will let it happen, for us to love others around us. We are Jesus to the world, and our resources and time are given to us by Him. He wants us to use them wisely.

3. He wants us to smile and be glad (Psalm 100:2)
But how, you ask? How can we be glad when we've all been through so much? But God is good, and He is always the same. And this Christmas, we remember that He sent His Son for us, to become Emmanuel, God with us. He has forgiven us, no strings attached. And there is nothing we can do to lose His love. We can stray as far as humanly possible, but we are completely unable to leave His hand. He is always ready and wanting to take us back, to hold us close, to make things better in our hearts. So no matter what the circumstance, we can smile and be glad.

4. He wants us to be unashamed of the Gospel (Mark 8:38)
I struggle with this more than anything else in my life. I go into a store and look at the cashier, and a big part of me wants to tell her, no matter how strange it seems, that God cares for her, that He loves her. I think it through the entire time in line, and when I get to her, I can barely squeak out a thank you. If I manage anything more, like God bless, it sounds so rehearsed and awkward that I doubt the message even gets through. God would have every right to be ashamed of me, though He is not, because I am covered with Christ. Meanwhile, we seem ashamed of God, who has done nothing that we should be ashamed of, but rather, has rescued us from the punishment of sin, if we have accepted His gift of Salvation. This coming year, I hope to live a life that is unashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

I also hope that throughout the year God can use my future blog posts to be of some encouragement to others, and to myself, in these areas of life that we struggle with all too frequently. May we give these "Birthday Presents" to Jesus all year long!

God Bless you all!