When it’s Christmastime, it’s LIST TIME!
My lists are many this time of year: gift list, to-do list, shopping list, packing list, menu list, decorating list. So many lists!
Any list begins with a need, such as the need to eat or celebrate, to clean, or to organize. Many of my lists come from a place of emptiness, like my refrigerator or the pantry. Or a Christmas tree with no gifts underneath!
It takes a good plan for the activities of the Christmas season to come together. And a good plan needs a good list.
Superkid, God our Father is the ULTIMATE Planner! He has a plan for this world and He has a plan for YOU. So, of course, there is a LIST!
There’s a perfect list for Christmas found in Psalm 92. I call it the HEART-CHECK LIST.
THE NEED:
We all need to do a checkup on our hearts. People can become so self-centered, they tend to focus on the annoying things that occur in a day instead of noticing the ways God loves us. Everything He does is because He loves us. The more we notice, the more grateful we are for His love and the more we worship. The more we set our minds on Him, the easier it is to enjoy being His kid! When you have a loving heavenly Father, even when hard things happen, you can relax in His love for you, knowing He will take care of you. When we have difficulty with this truth, it’s always a heart issue. So…we need a list!
THE LIST:
Doing a HEART CHECK is good anytime, but these to-do’s from Psalm 92:1-5, New Living Translation, will make your Christmas a joy-filled one! As you check off these five things, don’t just think about giving glory and thanks to the Father, His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Give thanks and praise to those around you who give you their heart, love, time, effort and gifts.
Verse 1: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.
Tell your heart, your soul, to take notice of the wonderful things the Lord does for you. God does favors for you and He loves you through other people every day. So take notice and say, “Thank You.” This is not about singing a song (more on that later), but BEING SPECIFIC! Tell God how great He was to help you with your grades, or to earn money so you could buy Christmas gifts. Tell your sister how great she did at her Christmas concert, or tell your dad how much it means to you that he helps you with your homework. “Mom, the Christmas tree looks great!” Saying, “You’re awesome,” is just an empty statement until you make the effort to THINK and SAY why. That kind of praise turns your heart toward that person or toward the Lord.
Verses 2-3: It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp, and the melody of a lyre.
Remind yourself every day, The Lord loves me, and think about what that means. There is nothing His love won’t help you overcome! You have His favor, and His love! Say, “My friends and family love me, too!” So, even if they correct you or get irritated with you, it’s OK. They love you! When night falls, thank the Lord for His faithfulness, and again, be specific. Say things like, “Lord, You didn’t let me down on my test today!” “Mom, Dad, you helped me today and you stuck with me. Thank you!” Ending your day like this will cause your sleep to be sweet, especially if you play soft worship music as you talk to Jesus, Mom and Dad. Good things happen in your soul while you sleep with this bedtime routine!
Verse 4: You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
Be easily thrilled and easy to please with the smallest gesture or gift. Being content with what is given to you will set you up for a satisfying life ahead! Our heavenly Father delights in the smallest details of our lives. It blesses others to know we are satisfied with the things they do for us.
Verse 4: I sing for joy because of what you have done.
This Christmas, sing your heart out! God made our hearts and souls to be lifted with songs! Singing really changes us, so worship the Lord and sing and be happy! Don’t be too cool to join in the singing. You’ll see. It will bring joy.
Verse 5: O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts.
Know how much you are loved. As you check your heart, you will realize how deeply and how often God thinks about you. The devil would love to convince you that you aren’t loved and no one cares about you. That’s not true, Superkid! YOU are one of the great works He talked about in verse 5. The God of the universe does think about YOU!
Consider this HEART CHECK with every Christmas activity, party or gift you receive. And remember the best gift of all—your heavenly Father loved you so much that He GAVE His Son to die for you. As you check off your list this Christmas, you’ll hear your heart say, “Thank You, Father, for loving me so much. I love You!” And in your heart you’ll hear Him say, “I love you, too.”
Have a very Merry Christmas, Superkid! ♥
There is nothing His love won’t help you overcome!