Christmas Love

Devotional 2 Minutes

What does Christmas mean to you? I think the true meaning of Christmas can be summed up in one word….LOVE. We look forward to spending time with those we love. Miles may separate but we still long to spend Christmas together. To some it means the absence of loved ones. Many circumstances can make it impossible to share that Christmas Love personally. But in the midst of all the memories and traditions, let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas.

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them…And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:9-11 The greatest gift ever given came in the form of a sweet little baby. God’s only son was sent directly from heaven and born to save each of us from our sin.

Jesus came to earth that First Christmas Day so that we could live forever with Him. His LOVE is the true meaning of Christmas. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Below is a story shared by a lady at church which reminds us that we always have memories and have opportunities to make new ones, but more importantly it reminds us of the greatest gift ever given.

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Gingerbread Love

My mother loved gingerbread and gingerbread men. She loved making cookies with children, and some of my happiest memories are of the two of us, often with one of more of my friends, cousins, or a neighborhood kid, making vanilla cookies or sometimes gingerbread (it was harder to make and took longer).

In later years, we discovered Little Debbie Christmas Gingerbread men and would buy them. Mom loved them so much that she put them on our Christmas tree every year. Then, they became hard to find. Once in a while we’d find them in the summer (though we couldn’t figure out why they sold Christmas Gingerbread in the summer), and buy them and freeze them until Christmas.

Finally, for a long time, you couldn’t find them at all. After Mom went in the nursing home, I started seeing them in the stores again and I would buy them and take them to the nursing home for her. She no longer remembers her fondness for them now, but I do. I hang them on the tree to remember love. The love between a mother and child, or between a Father and His children.

Take this little clothespin and put some love on your tree. It can be a gingerbread man or something else that you choose (maybe a grandchild’s photo), so long as it reminds you of the great love that sent us the best Gift ever given.

What ever your Christmas Day consists of, please remember the greatest gift ever given to you: God’s love given in His son, Jesus.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Published by Tresa Walker Strengthrenewed

Like Jonah, I have spent a good bit of time in the belly of the whale. I understand what made Jonah run from God’s plan for his life, but I have also learned the joy of obedience. No experience compares to the time I spent running from God calling me to write, but many blessings have followed since I yielded to His will. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, just willing! My days are filled with spending as much time as possible with my family, teaching middle school, playing piano for worship services, teaching a ladies’ Bible study, writing devotionals, and making homemade cinnamon rolls when I have the energy.

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