Thursday, November 22, 2007

Would Jesus have the Holiday Spirit?

I guess the big WWJD movement has passed. You don't find the bracelets/bumper stickers/t-shirts/bookmarks/books/coffee mugs/floor mats/have I made/my point yet? - being sold nearly as much as you use to.
But, as I woke up this morning I wondered.... how would Jesus celebrate Thanksgiving?

Would He go eat with family? For some reason, I'm not sure He would.
He held to the Passover tradition. Did that feel like a holiday? Even then, He didn't go to His parents for a Passover Lamb. But He did honor it with His disciples. Who cooked the passover meal for Him?

I don't think Jesus would celebrate by watcing the parades this morning. Or eating till He was stuffed.

When Christmas rolls around, I don't think He'd buy toys and games for kids that have toys and games. I think His gifts would be far more practical, and not necessarily given to those he's related to or friends with. I think He'd give where the need was. Not where the expectation was.

That's not to say He doesn't bless us beautifully with things. My job is certainly a gift that went beyond meeting a practical need. He can be extravagant. But it's with a very specific purpose. He doesn't fulfill our every wish, but He certainly sees those deep desires of our hearts and every now and then wraps one up and sets them by our door.

I want to celebrate the way Jesus would celebrate.

BUT.

I don't know a lot of people that have physical needs. I don't know people that can't afford to have a turkey dinner today much less people that can't afford to eat at all. I just don't know that many people with real physical needs.

Jesus would though. Because Jesus would have spent the entire year looking for them, getting to know them, and teaching them about Himself and His Father, while meeting those daily needs. He would become known to them, and they would bring others to Him for His provision. And His small group of needy people, would become a large group of touched people.

So it's not really all about what I do on Thanksgiving day. It's what I do all year long.

God knows where to find them. He knows, if He walked into my town exactly where He would begin His ministry, and what He would do to begin it. I want to do it in His stead so I guess I need to check in with the Boss and see what He wants me to do.

God is good, He is gracious, and this Thanksgiving I'm very thankful for Him.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

we do have His Spirit, all year, all the time! Praise God!

I thank God for you, and i am glad that you are in the Body of Christ.

Love to you
n