It’s 7:00 am and I’m just now rousting myself up. Good grief! I spent yesterday from the wee hours of the morning until long after I should have been in bed, preparing gifts for Christmas, either shopping, stuffing or wrapping! Crazy! My house looks like Christmas exploded. I love giving gifts! I love to see the joy on the faces of those I love as they get something that their heart desired. I love it more when they didn’t even desire it and got it anyway. I’m a spoiled brat by my husband who at Christmas seems to make up for every dumb thing he did that got on my nerves the other 364 days of the year. I spend way too much, have a great many regrets and then ask God to forgive me. But then… He did set the example on giving. The difference is He has deeper pockets, His own permission, and wisdom that I don’t even come close to having!
I know Christmas isn’t about the gifts, it’s about the Gift. That is wisdom I’m afforded and I’m so grateful this morning. I love the story of a six foot plus, “hoss of a man,” West Virginia Sheriff who was tougher than nails. He got saved several years ago shortly before Christmas and there were no gifts beneath his tree that year as there had been in prior years of being unsaved. But that year he bought a manger scene and lined all the characters under the tree. Then laid down prostrate in the floor and worshipped the King for the greatest gift he’d ever been given, peace on earth. That is a true story!
Peace on earth for a Sheriff! What a novel idea.
The Apostle Paul, who I guess was a Religious Sheriff of sorts in his day would have probably reacted to Christmas very much the same. He wrote to the Philippians in Philippians 4:9 ~ Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Paul got peace because he knew of the inner turmoil that came from trying to live up to the expectations of religion and the world. It’s impossible! But with God there is nothing impossible and the change in him was apparent!
When the angels delivered the message of the Christ child they delivered with it a message of peace in Luke 2:14 ~ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And yet Christ Himself said in Luke 12:51 ~ Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
That sounds confusing unless you’re saved, because we know that the world is a mess, there is no peace to be found but rather conflict and dissension on every side.
But not within.
Within the heart of a child of God is peace that passes all understanding.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
My prayer for you and your family is that the gift of peace reigns in your home this Christmas
We at the Stambaugh house wish you and your’s a Very Merry Christmas Shari!