The gift that God presents to humanity, and that we celebrate every Christmas, is the gift of himself. We celebrate Christmas year after year by giving “stuff” to each other. But my prayer for you and for myself this Christmas, is that we don’t get so caught up in the “busyness” of the holiday that we forget to slow down and give ourselves.
Pause from cooking that Christmas meal and tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. Put aside your work and spend an hour playing that board game with your son. No doubt, he’ll be happy to unwrap that game under the tree. But your undivided attention will be the far greater gift.
And take time to give your heart to God. Try reading about the birth of Jesus from Luke Chapter 2 with your loved ones before ripping into those presents. “Come, let us adore him!” But let’s follow his example, too.
Don’t just share presents and food this Christmas. Share yourself.