Each year children around the world who celebrate the birth of Christ make a wish list. Have you ever thought about all the synonyms you can use for the word, wish?? Let me suggest a few: Longing, craving, yearning, need, aspiration, plea, request, appeal, entreaty, petition, or how about the word desire. I think I will stick with the word desire during this Christmas Season.
One of the children in the church this week asked his mother a great Christmas question..."Mommy, what does Jesus get for His birthday?"
Let me suggest something we all should consider:
OPEN LIPS (Is Christ the object of your praise?) Pslam 51:15-17 - "O Lord, open my lips; and my mouth will be filled with praise. For You do not desire sacrifice; else would I give it: you delight not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
TREASURE (Is Christ your Treasure?) Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also."
THINGS TO AVOID - James 4:1 - "What lead to [the unending] quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war in your [bodily] members [fightnight for control over you]?"
THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS - Haggai 2:7 - "They shall come to the desire of all nations..." Christ is called the desire of all nations because all things that are desirable are in Him.
TO KNOW HIM IS TO DESIRE HIM - All the crowns and kingdoms of the world, all the thrones and scepters of kings pale in comparison to Christ! Christ is the fullness of the Godhead; the riches of the Deity are in Him! "In Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell." (Col. 1:19). He was born full of grace and truth. This is why we sing with hearts filled with praise and adoration.
"O, come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord."
We believe in you!
Cleddie & Gaynell Keith