I've got my gift all picked out!

So Black Friday has come and gone... and .... to be honest... I'm dismayed at our addiction to things. We (I'm just speaking for what I see going on around me and in America) are so addicted that we cannot even see how bad it really is. I'm one of several million people that watched several other million people crawl all over items in a store like hungry fire ants and said "Whew! That's crazy! At least I'm not like that..."

But is it true? Do I not desire a vacation with the family (I mean that's basically something that is a necessity...right?)? How about a computer for the kids to do homework? My wife and kids need new clothes....

... or so I think. It is my addiction to things...fueled by all those around me. We're in it together...enabling each other with comforting thoughts like... "I'm not like so-and-so, they are SO materialistic". Please don't get me wrong I'm in no way saying that material things are inherently bad... God delights in providing material things for His children.... What I'm saying is I see in me...around me... in our country, a focus on the material and not a focus on God. It is a matter of where my heart is... where our hearts are.

So this year, starting now... in this Advent season... (yes Advent started quietly maybe silently in comparison to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday reporting by the media...) to change my heart and focus it toward God and the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ!

I would like to propose a prayer for all Christians this holiday season. I would ask that we pray for God to prepare something special in our hearts...that we HEAR His call, are WILLING to respond, and are immediately OBEDIENT to act. I pray that it is our LOVE for each other as followers of Christ and LOVE for others that they see and are drawn to know more about our Creator!  

It is this gift...the free gift of salvation, I pray has the biggest impact this Christmas!