Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Scripture focus: “I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They’re saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this God-of-the-Angel-Armies.’ All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ and when you say, ‘I’m bored – this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air – act superior to me, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is God speaking to you!” Malachi 1:11-13 The Message
Every holiday season I’m aware of all the people out there who can’t wait for the celebrations to end. They’re in a season of loss and grief, suffering and despair – they do not welcome the interruption of Thanksgiving and Christmas, Hanukkah and the other faith festivities that fall during this time of year. They scoff and talk about the “commercialism” of the season. They complain about Christmas decorations appearing before Halloween – and to an extent, I agree with the sentiment. But in our cynicism – I fear we become the problem rather than a part of the solution to our seasonal moodiness.
No matter what the motivation or the miscalculations of others – you and I can commit to living out the true meaning of the seasons we celebrate. We can choose to follow God rather than the marketing trends. We can be wowed by the true meaning of the season more than Neiman Marcus’s latest Christmas gift suggestions for the rich and famous. We can choose differently – and in so doing, make the world a better place.
“This is what we were created for. This is life at its very best. And God has made it possible by giving us himself. We have his life in us, his Spirit dwelling in us. We actually have the option now of choosing this life, which is the highest form of living – to share the heart and mind of God in all things. Everything that is happening in us and around us is a context and an opportunity for this realignment. I could seek to embrace his view of things, yearn to desire what he desires. It seems this is the basic difference in the way people live – we are either seeking this sort of alignment, this genuine companionship with God, or, we are just living our lives as it seems best to us. One group may find it beset to indulge flagrantly; another might be trying to master religious principles. But this sort of intimacy with God is unmistakable, because it is so utterly alluring and so rare. It sort of makes things simple again. I at least know that whatever is going on, I always have one option. I can seek to be aligned with the heart and mind of God. I can become more his son.” (John Eldredge, October 2008 newsletter)
I don’t know whether you’re hoping this holiday will be your best ever – or dreading it like the plague. Either way, in every moment, you can seek to align your heart and mind with God. So here’s what I’m planning on doing this season – I’m not skipping my daily devotionals just so I can hang extra whosits and whatsits from my tree. I’m not going to forego worship for an extra trip to the mall. I’m not going to spend more money on myself and those I love than on giving to those who won’t have a Christmas if I don’t pitch in and help them out. That’s my commitment to alignment. What’s yours?
Recommended reading: Daniel 5 and Psalm 108 in the morning; 2 Peter 2 and Psalm 109 in the evening
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