What Are You Giving This Christmas?

Do you lament the commercialization of Christmas? Is it your wish that the real meaning of Christmas not get lost in the hustle and bustle of the shopping mall, but finding yourself "buying" into the same Christmas routine as the people around you?

How do we fend off the temptation to make Christmas about the latest electronic gadgetry, a more expensive piece of jewelry, or hundreds of other items found in the inventory of Wal-Mart, Amazon, or some other retail outlet?

Perhaps the problem is in a little misspelling ... maybe we focus too much on Christmas presents rather than Christmas presence.

Yes, presents were part of the original Christmas story. The magi travelled hundreds of miles to bring gifts to the king. Yet, we become so concerned with finding the right gift for "so-and-so" that we forget the right gift for the birthday boy.

If you look closely, you might see that the real gift of the magi was not their treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Nor is that God's gift to us.

God's gift is wrapped, not in decorative paper, but in swaddling clothes ... not lying under the tree, but in a manger. It is not PRESENTS, but PRESENCE. It is Emmanuel - God with us!

And isn't that the real gift that the Magi brought to Jesus. The gift of their presence to worship and celebrate the King's arrival.

This Christmas as you celebrate the incarnation of Jesus, when God made his presence felt think about how you can continue that gift of presence. Few people need more stuff. Everybody needs a greater awareness of the nearness of God through Christ. That is why God has left us on this earth ... so that we can continue to be his presence. How can you reflect God's gracious presence to someone.

To whom could you give your Christmas presence this year?