All I Want for Christmas is…
Can you believe it’s already time for Christmas? We’ve already decorated the house and the Church. Lights, stars and candles are practically everywhere. We have trees and mistletoe hung and this year we put up stockings for the grandchildren.
Each year my family starts an email or text string asking one another what they want for Christmas. As the years pass, I am having an increasingly difficult time putting anything on the list because I literally have everything I could ever need and anything else could be considered greed. However, this year I am tempted to put some things on the list that I really could use.
This year for Christmas I would love to see the Church stand up to racism, bitterness, prejudice, violence, abuse and complacency. I would love to see the Church champion virtues such as love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, holiness, righteousness and patience. This year I would love to see the Church embrace and display the fruit of the Spirit.
Wouldn’t it be great if we witnessed the Lord’s Church sharing the Gospel in love and kindness? I would love to see the Church magnifying and lifting the name of Jesus. Instead of the Church separating along political, demographic and socio-economic lines, I would rather see us focusing on what we have in common – Jesus Christ.
Personally, this Christmas I want the Lord to grant me a greater anointing. I would like to increase my prayer life and spiritual awareness. This Christmas I want the Lord to sharpen my spiritual eyes that I might see the God-given potential in people. I want the Lord to sharpen my spiritual hearing that I might hear the voice of God more readily and the cries of help from my brothers and sisters.
This Christmas I would like to see the passion for worship and praise return to the Church. This Christmas I would like to see signs, wonders and God’s mighty acts resurrected amongst the people of God. This Christmas I would like to see the born-again believer take their rightful place in the kingdom of God: the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, the lender and not the borrower.
I know this is a lot to ask. I am sure you think my list is long and it is impossible and absurd to ask for such things. But I respond by asking, “…is there anything too hard for God?” I submit the writings of the Apostle Paul, “God is able to do exceeding, abundantly above what I can ask or think!”
My friends, this Christmas let’s ask God to give us somethings that will not only benefit us but expand the kingdom of God.
On behalf of Mrs. Pruitte, the Pruitte family and Holiness Tabernacle Family, and myself,
Merry Christmas!!