Christmas preparations – Your body – 10 December 2009

“And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy – the kind He can accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you”. Romans 12; 1-2 [The Living Bible]

Being different is what it’s all about!  Don’t conform to the way others around you are behaving as you prepare for Christmas.  Show the difference that Christmas makes to you by BEING the difference.  By giving our bodies to God, and asking Him how we can use them to be the difference, you will actively show His love to others, and share with them the real gift of God’s love.

There are lots of ways we can live this out.  One example is the free present wrapping that the churches offer, giving your time to talk to others, to wrap a few of their gifts and to show you are interested in them.  To serve our community and actively demonstrate God’s love to them.  Or maybe offering to shop or clean for somebody to help with their preparations, or taking time to just be with somebody who is finding it a sad time of year.

“Be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all that you do and think.” Make this a different Christmas, and be the difference to somebody else.

Lord Jesus, Help me be the difference this Christmas, by giving my body as a living sacrifice to serve as you lead me. Amen.