6 Questions to Reflect On This Christmas Season

In the devotional Christmas plans I have been reading lately, there are a lot of heart-searching questions to correspond with the assigned readings.  This has been a wonderful way for me to focus my mind on Christ as His birthday approaches.   This season, as we approach Christmas and especially the New Year when we make resolutions, let’s take a moment to really evaluate the way we are living….

How generous are you with your time, treasures, and talents?

God generously gave the gift of His only Son, Jesus Christ.  God, Who owns and has everything, gave His only Son.  Christ was born so He could die for us.  God gave Him to us out of pure, devoted, and unlimited love.  And yet we are often too selfish to give just a little bit of our treasures back to Him.  How can you be more generous this season?

Do you live as if it truly is more blessed to give than receive?

Often we are selfish and unwilling to let go of our possessions.  We have the perfect example of giving right in the book on our nightstand called the “HOLY BIBLE,” but yet we still give grudgingly?  In perspective, it honestly makes no sense!  This season, really live out the truth that it is more blessed to give than receive!

How much is your Christmas excitement focused on Christ?

What’s the first thing you think of when someone says the word CHRISTMAS?  Beautiful lights in bright colors?  The Christmas tree, with a big star perched on top?  Stockings stuffed till bulging?  Bells ringing as the radio plays out Jingle Bells?  Oh, and you cannot forget – PRESENTS!!!  Ever wonder what’s in that big box over there that has your name on it…?  Christmas is a wonderful, beautiful, joy-filled time of the year, for sure!  But so often presents and stockings and decorations and what-not get in the way of the TRUE star – the TRUE gift – and the TRUE song, Jesus Christ!  The saying that you all know well – “Jesus is the Reason of the Season” carries truth in it!  Jesus is WHY there is a Christmas!  He should be the center of the season, not some string of Christmas lights that will be stored in a box somewhere, forgotten for 11/12ths of the year.  Not the brightly wrapped gifts that lay oh so tempting under the tree.  Not even the gathering of family and the delicious goodies that come with them.  It’s ALL about JESUS.  So… are you living that way?

What do the names of God mean to you?

The names of God are very important to note!  You may have never given His names a second thought, so I challenge you to pause and think a moment about them.  Emmanuel means “God with us.”  Christ means “Messiah.”  Then there are all of the “Jehovah” names… and there are so many other names for Jesus (and God) too!  Take a minute to meditate on these names.  What does each name mean to you?  If you’re not sure about it, maybe you could do a study on the names of God!  The different names He is referred to in the Bible really define His character.  You can learn a lot about His character by just studying His names!

How is God “Emmanuel” (with you) this season?

How can you see evidence of His presence with you this season?  Look around carefully.  There are so many situations that are clearly orchestrated by God that we don’t give a second thought to, when we should.  So this week, I challenge you to be on the lookout for ways that God is working in your life.  

Are you sharing with others what God has shown you?

Are you faithful to share with others the things that God has been showing you?  God has and is doing so much for us, that we have no excuse to not tell others about the AMAZING God we have!  We blindly pass by opportunities to tell others about Christ.  Perhaps if we were looking for opportunities more faithfully, and taking advantage of the opportunities we see, we would have a greater understanding and appreciation for Jesus’ work in our lives, and more people may even come to know the Lord because of our testimonies and examples!  Especially as Christmas approaches, see how you can share your testimony with others!

I hope this got you thinking a little bit as we head into the 12 days of Christmas (can you believe Christmas is this close already?!).  If you have any other questions for reflection to add, or your thoughts on these, I would love to hear!

P.S. How do you like Christmas red and green font colors? :)