Monday December 21, 2020
Today’s Scripture: Matthew 2:11
11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Today’s Carol: In the Bleak Midwinter
In the bleak mid-winter, frosty wind made moan;
Earth stood had as iron. Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter, long ago.
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ.
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
Today’s Devotional
I don’t consider myself a good Christmas gift-giver. In fact, my gift giving game was raised considerably after I married Robin and we started giving gifts together! Of course, this does not help me with HER gift. I struggled with it for years. Finally, after some spectacular failures, I started to get her to write down three or four specific ideas that I could choose from. She even provides links!
Gifts are such an important part of Christmas. Some of us agonize of the perfect thing to give – while others of us just want to cross the name off the list and be done. But either way – we want to give gifts at Christmas. Gift giving feels good.
Our carol today speaks about giving gifts. What exactly does one give to Jesus? If we were shepherds – then maybe a lamb. If we were wise, rich, people then sure, we would do our part. But what can we give him?
The answer of course is the only thing we CAN give him – our heart.
In these closing days before Christmas, as we are thinking about the final gifts we need to get and to wrap, don’t neglect thinking about your gift to Jesus. What can you give him? Give him your heart.
Today’s Prayer
God thank you for the gift of your son. Thank you for the new life he brings. We dedicate ourselves this day to giving him our best – by giving him our hearts.
Amen
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