Devotionals

My mother loves family-friendly Christmas movies. We all know the drill. A lonely woman returns to her hometown, catches up with an old schoolfriend, and they fall madly in-love. One thing you’ll notice in these films is that somewhere in the middle, the entire cast gets together for a baking session. My mouth waters at the mere mention of decorating Christmas cookies and rolling out gingerbread men. Who doesn’t love a sweet treat?

Festive food looked a little different in the eighties and early nineties when I was growing up. In November, my mother mixed a huge fruit cake that sat in the oven for hours, decorating it with marzipan and icing to look like snow. She also made mince pies. And of course, on Christmas Day there was the obligatory turkey roast.

Another tradition involved a line of glass dishes on the Welsh dresser filled with crisps, nuts, pastel-coloured sugared almonds, chocolate-covered raisins, Quality Street chocolates, and of all things, tangerines. Are you salivating yet? AS the Quality Street tin emptied, with the purple nuts and green triangles going first, we were left with the boring gold-covered toffies that always ended up in the bin by the end of January because no matter how hard you sucked, they never seemed to get any smaller, and they stuck to your teeth.

Sharing festive treats with friends and neighbours at this time of year is a wonderful way of spreading god’s love and showing them we care. Sometimes, we need to do more than just say “Jesus loves you”, because many people have never felt loved or valued. Sadly, our words fall on deaf ears and lodge in hardened hearts. However, a thoughtful gift such as a decorated plate of cookies can speak volumes. My mother and I did this a few years ago. We made a huge batch of cookies and gingerbread men and asked the Lord for a list of names. We were blessed in our sharing, and I pray the recipients were too.

Prayer

Lord, please give me an unexpected opportunity to share some of my festive treats this Christmas time. May sharing lead to fellowship, a breaking down of walls, and to wonderful, life-giving chats about you.

Song: My Favourite Time of Year by the Perry Sisters

Scriptures to Ponder

Proverbs 22: 9: “Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.”
Hebrews 13: 16: “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.”

What smells do you associate with Christmas? We had a real tree until I was in my early twenties, and I loved coming downstairs in the mornings to be greeted by its pine-scented freshness.

Then there was the food. My mother can’t eat or handle poultry because it literally turns her stomach. So the job of cooking the annual turkey fell to my grandmother. I always made sure I was at her house on Christmas Eve to soak up the smells. Nan made her own stuffing from scratch, so the aroma of sage and parsley merged with the bird roasting in the oven. These scents were uniquely Christmas, and one whiff of them takes me back to my childhood.

Finally, do you agree that even the Christmas decorations themselves have a certain scent? Especially the tinsel. You might argue it’s just the dust from the attic, but I think it’s the smell of Christmas.

Nowadays, you can buy festive candles or reed diffusers that fill your house with pine, cinnamon, or gingerbread, although I find some of these scents a little too artificial.

As Christians, we also have an aroma to share with the world, and it’s much more important than the smells of Christmas. In 2Corinthians chapter 2, verses 15-16, Paul says, “Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume.”

I like the idea of being a life-giving perfume, and I pray that the aroma of Jesus in me would be sweet, genuine, and even more attractive than the festive smells.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, may I spread your aroma everywhere I go, leaving your beautiful lingering fragrance of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness behind when I leave and pointing others towareds you.

Song: Light in the window by Karen Peck and New River

Scriptures to Ponder

Matthew 5: 16: “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
2Corinthians 5: 20: “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

December tends to be a busy month, tagged on the end of a long, exhausting year. Even people who love socialising sometimes struggle to keep up with the carol services, shopping, partying, and constant demands that go hand in hand with the festive season.

Pressure mounts up from all sides. Have I bought enough gifts? Have I forgotten anyone? Have I accidentally arranged to be in two places at the same time? Been there, done that! If we aren’t careful, we find ourselves exhausted by the middle of the month, too burned out to enjoy the celebration of our Saviour’s birth.

It’s great to make the most of Christmas, but we need to remember we’re not invincible. We don’t have to accept every invitation and be the life and soul of every party. It’s okay to take time to do the things that refuel us. I am an introvert, so for me that means cuddling up on the sofa under a fleecy blanket with a box of chocolates, watching a cosy movie, or reading a good book.

God created us with a need for rest. If we don’t get enough of it, our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being suffers. One of my favourite scriptures is Matthew chapter 11 verses 28-30 in the Message translation. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

If this Christmas finds you needing to hide away with Jesus and learn the unforced rhythms of his grace, then please, don’t’ feel guilty if plans need to change, even if that means saying no to some of your church commitments. Jesus will meet you in the quiet seasons as well as in the midst of noise and activity. Say no if you need to and invite him into your rest.

Prayer

Today, I pray for those who are feeling over-burdened and over-stretched. Lord Jesus, I ask that they might invite you into their struggles and allow you to teach them to rest.

Song: A Little Peace on Earth by Legacy Five

Scriptures to Ponder

Psalm 4: 8: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”
Psalm 127: 2: “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”

Between the ages of three and eleven, I attended a school for the blind. Although they accepted boarders, I was grateful not to be one of them because it was close to our home. However, there was one night every year on which I got to see how the other half lived. That was the night of the big school Christmas party.

The excitement grew throughout the day until we were fit to burst. We could barely focus on our lessons as we talked non-stop about the food, the games, and the annual visit from Father Christmas.

WE huddled in groups after the school day was over, wishing we could speed up time until we were finally permitted to change out of our uniforms into our specially selected party clothes. One year, my mother made me a blue and white satin dress with a net underskirt. I wore it for the first time at the party, and it made me more hesitant to lie on the floor for games like Sleeping Lions. I didn’t want to get it dirty.

We ate the festive tea in the dining-room, seated at long tables with Christmas crackers to pull and party hats that slid down over our eyes. There were sandwiches, sausage rolls, and daintily iced sponge cakes.

Having eaten our fill, we moved into an area affectionately known as the open space, where we played games, danced to party music under twinkling lights, and waited for the man in red. They were simple parties by modern standards, but to us, they were the highlight of the school year.

I also looked forward to our chapel Sunday school party, but that took place in early January, prolonging our Christmas celebrations. This time, it wasn’t the food or the games that grabbed me, but our visit from an amazing Christian children’s entertainer who brought the Bible to life through fun and music.

Christmas is a great time to pull out the sparkly outfits, gather together with friends, and celebrate. You don’t have to eat or drink too much to enjoy some good old-fashioned fun. Even Jesus enjoyed a party. After all, he performed his first miracle at a wedding. And the Jewish calinda is full of feasts. So gather your friends together, whether in large groups or small, break open a box of biscuits and some posh hot chocolate or a bottle of wine, and have a party.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for opportunities to celebrate with friends. Help us to include others in our fun, and to ensure no one is left out.

Song: Come and Join the Celebration

Scriptures to Ponder

Philippians 4: 4: “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”
Psalm 118: 24: “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

I starred in my first school performance at the tender age of three. Our class sang nursery rhymes, with each child dressed as a different character. I was Little Bopeep, complete with mop-cap and bloomers, and I chastised the audience for applauding too soon. We hadn’t finished yet! I’m glad I barely remember my embarrassing acting debut, but I recall the wonder of standing on-stage under a spotlight, staring into the blackness, and realising my mother was somewhere out there watching my every move.

In later years, I acted as an astronaut in a play about a group of schoolchildren and their headmaster building a spaceship and blasting off to search for Jupiter rock. I was half a castle in the story of Cinderella, and a munchkin in the Wizard of Ozz. However, my favourite plays were the nativities because this is what Christmas is all about. I embraced the roll of Mary, tenderly singing to my baby doll while rocking her lovingly in my arms.

More recently, I’ve had the pleasure of watching my cousin’s children performing a play about a clumsy angel who felt despondent about her abilities until she was chosen to show the way to Bethlehem. I still love nativities, and it saddens me when schools overlook them because of political correctness. After all, if it weren’t for the birth of Christ, we wouldn’t have Christmas.

Prayer

Lord, we pray for children all over the world as they re-enact the story of your birth. May they realise this is truth, not fiction. WE also pray for schools, that they will embrace Biblical teaching, especially at this time of year.

Song: It was on a Starry night

Scriptures to Ponder

Matthew 19: 14: “But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”
Proverbs 22: 6: “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”

I was blessed to grow up in a home where arguments were rare, apart from the usual petty family squabbles. I took this for granted until I found out some of my friends came from broken homes, with one parent competing against the other and using their children as battering rams.

At this time of year, much is said about peace. We sing about the angels’ message of peace on earth and goodwill to men, yet news headlines constantly bombard us with messages of war and hatred until we wonder, will peace ever truly come?

When the elderly priest Zechariah held his infant son John for the first time, he sang with joy because only a miracle from heaven had enabled his wife Elizabeth to conceive. He prophesied that John’s life and ministry would point people towards another, more important person. With hindsight, we know that person was Jesus. Zechariah said Jesus would give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and guide us to the path of peace. (Luke 1:79 NLT)

There is only one path to true and lasting peace, and it leads us straight to our Saviour. John the Baptist was a signpost, showing the people of his day the right way to go. Now, we are called to take up his mantle and lead others to Jesus. Our message is one of light and life. In a world where there is no peace, we can point others to the Prince of Peace.

True and lasting peace won’t come until Jesus returns, but until then, we can find peace in knowing him, and in trusting that our lives are safe in his hands. That doesn’t mean we won’t face trials. However, nothing takes Jesus by surprise, so whatever we go through, he has promised never to leave or forsake us.

Prayer.

Thank you, Lord, that you are the Prince of Peace. Thank you that in all the turmoil and chaos, we can come to you and experience a peace that goes beyond understanding.

Song: Path of peace by Sarah Tummey.

Scriptures to Ponder.

John 14: 27: ““I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
Psalm 4: 8: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”

I grew up in a loving family, with a mother and father devoted to helping me make the most of life despite my disability. They were together on everything, except for one crucial issue. Although my mother took me to church and shared her faith in Jesus, my father wasn’t a Christian. Yet his whole life revolved around Christian principles such as “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” When I behaved like a typical lazy teenager, he quoted the proverb “Go to the ant, thou sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise.” Dad’s problem was that although he believed Jesus was a good man who walked the earth teaching Godly principles, he wasn’t convinced of his deity, or his power to rise from the dead.

Dad’s health started deteriorating in 2012, and in the late summer of 2017, the doctors warned us his time was running out. Of course I pleaded with God for his healing, but more than that, I longed for Jesus to open his eyes to the truth of the Gospel.

By September, Dad was bedbound and getting weaker by the day. Once, his heart faltered and we thought we were losing him, but he had an important decision to make. On 11 September 2017, my father-in-law visited his hospital room, and Dad finally surrendered his heart to Christ.

The next couple of months were bitter-sweet. Dad was too weak to read the Bible, but he told us he prayed every night, and he had a new peace despite his suffering. Still praying for a miracle, we planned a different kind of Christmas. Dad might not be able to sit with us around the table, but Mam would still make his favourite sherry trifle, and we’d enjoy sharing love and making memories.

However, Jesus knew best. Perhaps in his divine wisdom, he realised one last Christmas would prove to be more than we could bare, so he took Dad quietly and peacefully home to heaven at the end of November, and our last Christmas with him became our first without him.

One prayer had been miraculously answered. I knew my father was saved. When I think of him now, I have the assurance that he’s in heaven. Yet he wasn’t healed this side of eternity, and I still miss him every day.

If this Christmas season finds you struggling because of unanswered prayer, I have no empty platitudes to offer. If you’re hurting, confused, angry, or grieving, I’d simply like to suggest that the best thing you can do with all those emotions is to lay them at the foot of the cross. Be honest with Jesus. Pour out your grievances and frustrations because he can handle them. He’ll cope with your honesty, but please, don’t shut him out and stop praying. Don’t listen to the snarling voice of the enemy, telling you Jesus doesn’t care. Allow your Saviour to wrap his arms around you and whisper his tender reassurances of love.

Prayer.

Dear Lord, today I pray for those who are struggling because of unanswered prayers. Please help us remember that even in our most painful times, you still long to be close. May we lean on you, even when our minds are clouded by grief and confusion.

Song: Somewhere in your Silent Night by Casting Crowns.

Scriptures to ponder.

Isaiah 55: 8-9: ““My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Philippians 4: 6-7: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

One of my earliest memories is of waking up one December morning to a cacophony of unidentifiably loud sounds. Being only two or three years old at the time, I was bemused and a little scared until my mother explained it was the Salvation Army band playing carols whilst marching up the street. She carried me downstairs where a warming fire blazed, and the music changed from loud and scary to beautiful and melodic.

It doesn’t feel like Christmas unless I hear a brass band, even if it’s only on a digital recording. I also love carols sung by choirs, along with the more modern festive music. Some of the secular tunes about Santa and snow might seem tacky, but it takes me back to my childhood. One of the highlights of my year is the Christmas service at church, where we sing carols by the light of hundreds of tealights and listen to the well-loved Scriptures about Christ’s birth. The old blends with the new as we focus on the wonder of the songs and readings. Some of the best modern Christmas songs don’t just highlight the baby in the manger. They also tell us why he came.

Since we’re discussing music today, I thought I’d share not just one, but a few of my favourites. The Bible constantly tells us to sing and rejoice, so perhaps these songs will inspire you.

Prayer

Thank you, Father, for the gift of music. As we sing the beautiful Christmas songs about your birth, may we take time to focus on the words and the wonder of their meaning.

Songs

This one from Graham Kendrick is my absolute favourite.

And what about the words of this thought-provoking song!

And now for a bit of country.

And something modern but beautiful from Casting Crowns.

And of course, the best-loved carol of them all.

I could go on sharing forever, but I’ll stop here and let you find a few favourites of your own.

Scriptures to Ponder
Psalm 95: 1: “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.”
Colossians 3: 16: “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.”

I’ve always dreamed of waking up to a white Christmas, but it hasn’t happened yet. That might be because I live in the wrong part of the world. My American friends are sick of snow by the twenty-fifth of December, while I groan over the lack of it. My hopes soared one year in my early twenties when a shower of white suddenly floated gracefully down from the sky at lunchtime, only to be dashed when it came to nothing and soon melted. I wonder how many British families have rusting sledges tucked away in their attics or garages, bought in the hope of snow that never came.

Whenever it snows, whether it’s December or February, I immediately revert to my childhood. I love throwing snowballs at my husband and hearing crunching underfoot. There is something serene and magical about waking up to a world shrouded in a white so bright it almost hurts your eyes. I’m still longing for that white Christmas because the purity of fresh snow seems like a fitting way to celebrate the birth of the perfect Son of God.

Perhaps that’s why we all love the carol that talks about “Snow on snow” even though Jesus almost certainly wasn’t born on the twenty-fifth of December. The first verse is picturesque, but the remaining stanzas are more profound. Jesus came from a glorious place where cherubim worshipped him night and day to a stable full of animals, to be nursed at the breast of an ordinary girl who worshipped with a mother’s tender kiss.

When I glance out of my window at freshly fallen snow, it reminds me that although my life is stained by sin, Jesus’s blood shed on the Cross has washed me whiter than the snow. What can I possibly give him in exchange for such love and forgiveness? The final verse of the carol gives an answer. I can give him my heart.

Prayer.

Lord, I thank you that when I come to you seeking salvation and forgiveness for my sin, your blood washes me whiter than snow. Today, I receive your gift of forgiveness and eternal life, and I offer you my heart.

Song: In the bleak midwinter.

Scriptures to ponder.

Isaiah 1: 18: “‘Come now, let’s settle this,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.'”
Psalm 51: 7: “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

As a person with limited sight, I rely on my other four senses to make up for what I lack. However, I am able to see light and colour, a blessing I appreciate doubly at Christmas.

I grew up in the Rhondda Valley, a twenty-minute car-ride from Cardiff. In those days, the shops in the capital stayed open until 8 PM on Thursdays during the month of December, and the streets were decked with trees and twinkling lights.

Our family waited until a few days before Christmas to do our late-night shopping. We weren’t interested in joining the endlessly snaking queues, just in soaking up the atmosphere, admiring the lights around Cardiff castle, the displays in the shop windows, and the festive music.

For many, Christmas shopping is stressful. Meeting endless demands diminishes the joy of the season. Now we have black Friday and the pressure of competing for bargains. I still watch from a distance because I don’t have children demanding the latest PlayStation or the must have toy. I am relieved I can participate in the buzz of late-night shopping for pleasure rather than out of necessity. Yet it saddens me that the greatest gift of all was freely given yet is ignored by so few.

I heard a song many years ago that left a lasting impression on my heart. It talks about the queues at the shopping malls and the modern-day emphasis on Santa and presents, and asks a simple question; Where’s the Line to see Jesus?

Prayer.

Lord, in all the hustle and bustle of choosing the right gifts, may we never forget the greatest gift of all.

Song: Where’s the line to see Jesus by Becky Kelley

Scriptures to ponder.

Matthew 6: 19-20: “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”
2Corinthians 9:15: “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!”