A Christmas Wish List

Have you made your Christmas wish list?  Have you bought everything on your loved ones' lists?  If not, you don't have much time left! 

I love Christmas and all its traditions.  I love giving and receiving gifts.  I especially love it when my family gives me their wish lists, so I know what they want and I know that they will enjoy the gifts I get for them.  I sometimes have a hard time making my wish list, but I do try to make one.  I don't want my family to dread shopping for me, trying to figure out what I would like or what size to buy. 

Our Heavenly Father wants us to make wish lists.  He wants us to tell Him what we want.  He loves giving us gifts.  And He wants us to acknowledge the gifts He gives us.

Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withheld the request of his lips. (Psalm 21:2)

The young lions lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.  (Psalm 34:10)

For God giveth to a man what is good in His sight: wisdom and knowledge and joy; (Ecclesiastes 2:26a)

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. “Or what man is there among you whom, if his son ask for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him? (Matthew 7:7-11)

Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you. (John 16:23b)

What then shall we say of these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?(Romans 8:31, 32)

Charge those who are rich in this world that they be not haughty, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (1 Timothy 6:17)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

Please don't misunderstand me or any of the above scriptures.  God is not a glorified Santa Claus or a magic genie who is obligated to give us anything we ask for whenever we want it.  Just like a good earthly parent, He will not give us something that is not in our best interest or that is not in his sovereign will.  But He does delight in making us happy.  I will always remember when we moved back to San Antonio after being away for about three years.  I really wanted a house with white rock and blue trim.  Guess what!  That's just exactly the house God led us to!  Was it an accident or just coincidence?  I don't think so.  I believe that God gave me the desire of my heart.  Don't be afraid to trust God for the little things.  If you can't trust Him with the little things, how can you trust Him with the really BIG things? 

The greatest gift of all was the Gift God gave us over 2000 years ago.  That Gift came wrapped in swaddling clothes, not in shiny paper with a beautiful bow.   And instead of being placed under a fir tree, He was placed in a manger.  Instead of twinkle lights, He was greeted by a star in the heavens.  Instead of being introduced by a parade in Times Square, He was heralded by a choir of angels.  Instead of a gift that wears out, goes out of fashion, breaks, or gets used up, God's Gift to us is eternal.  His Gift makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven, enabling us to live forever in a wonderful relationship with Him.  God's Gift cost Him dearly -- God's Gift was sent to us to die in our place as the payment for our sins.  His Gift is perfect.

God has a wish list for us, too.  Here are just a few things from His wish list.  These are listed in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 (New Living Translation):

• Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work.

•  And live peacefully with each other.

• Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.

• Encourage those who are timid.

• Take tender care of those who are weak.

• Be patient with everyone.

• See that no one pays back evil for evil,

• but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

• Always be joyful.

• Never stop praying.

• Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

• Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

• Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said.

• Hold on to what is good.

• Stay away from every kind of evil.

My prayer this week is that you will give God some gifts from HIS wish list.  I pray that you and your family will be safe as you travel and that you will make sweet, lasting memories with your family and friends.  But most of all, I pray that you will keep Christ at the center of all you do at this time of year, that you will celebrate His birth, and that you will join me in worshipping Him -- "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."  (Isaiah 9:6) 

(Except where indicated, all scripture references are from 21st Century King James Version)