A Reason To Sing For Joy by Chaz Lowder
On-air Minnesota, United States 3pm – 6pm CST
Scripture:
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” -2 Corinthians 9:15
Devotional:
“It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas! Mom, Dad Wake Up! Look at those presents!” If you’ve ever seen an America Christmas movie. You’ve probably watched scene something like this. A young child sleepy-eyed wanders into a dark room with a special glow coming somewhere from off screen. Then the camera pans to show a beautifully-lit Christmas tree. The next scene the child is jumping up and down his parents bed trying to wake them up to open presents.
Depending on our country, culture and family it will look different but for many some version of this scene is playing out with families all around the world the morning. Whether it’s a piled of presents under a Christmas tree, or only stocking stuffed with candies and small gifts or maybe it’s special meals with family. It seems today the presents are getting all the attention but today is not really about the presents, special meals, or good times with family as wonderful as those are. Today we shout “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15) The greatest gift given is Jesus.
You’ve heard about 3 wisemen (Day 8) from a far away land far who followed a star to find this new born king. When they found him they modeled something we still do 2000 years later. They brought gifts and they worshiped him.
You’ve heard the famous passage in John 3:16 about how “God loved the world so much that he gave his only son…” (Day 11) Again we see this model of giving. God loved, so he gave. He loved the world and you are part of that. So that means you have a reason for joy today because His gift is for you.
As big smiles appear on faces of people discovering what’s behind the wrapping paper. May we remember why we are following this model of giving gifts. Why we are singing shouts of joy today. It’s not because of those beautifully wrapped presents with the fancy wrapping paper. It’s about God’s greatest gift. Who was humbly born in a place animals were kept. (Day 10) Wrapped in strips of clothe and placed in a manger. All this to bring us near to experience God with Us. (Day 1) This gift named Jesus is the reason we join with creation singing Joy to The World!
Questions
-What’s the best present you’ve been given from a friend or family member?
-Is there anything that needs to change to make the gift of Jesus the focus of your Christmas?
-How can you give the gift of Jesus to someone today?
-Who in your life needs to know about God’s gift?
Prayer