I didn't want to write another 'Do you feel like a failure?' Or 'Are you too busy/stressed/lonely?' post at Christmas. These are all real issues for people and we know that Christmas can be a really hard time. But what if it isn't?
What if you are the kind of organised person who excels at Christmas? Your presents are brought, wrapped and ready in bags to go to various families. You are looking forward to being surrounded by family. You have written mental lists of what food you need to prepare and your home is looking beautiful and ready for guests.
What if you are opening up your home on Christmas Day to those who have nowhere to go, or maybe you are sacrificing a family dinner to go and help at a local shelter that's providing Christmas dinner?
There is nothing wrong with being ready for Christmas. These are good and beautiful things.
The question though I need to always ask my heart is, 'Who am I doing this for?'
I ask the question because I know my heart can be filled with all kinds of motives – but the pure motive I long for is to do all things for the glory of God.
All things for the glory of God.
Not for God's approval, because I already have it – but that my delight – my affection, my security, my satisfaction, my worth – would all be found completely in Jesus this Christmas. Not in how successful the Christmas dinner is, not how beautiful my home is and not in the number of people sat round my table.
Instagram and Facebook will be full of beautiful, perfect-looking homes and families over the next few weeks and though we know that pictures do not tell the real story, will we find ourselves looking for approval in how many people like our posts? Will we be tempted to display that we have got everything together? Will we post our most beautiful pictures of ourselves and our kids? Will we celebrate for all the right reasons?
Imagine if Jesus really got the centre stage in our hearts this Christmas. What would that look like? Imagine if our delight is so much in him, that we can celebrate and host and love and be organised or not be organised at all, burn the turkey, fail to get the right presents and have no one turn up to our party – and either way our heart remains steady.
Imagine if Christmas all went wrong but that we still celebrated Immanuel, God with us. What would that look like?
Lizzie Bassford is a wife, mum and missionary living in inner-city Manchester. Follow her on Twitter @captivated01.
