As President of Priority Ministries and Glo-Girl-in-Chief, I have a confession to make:
I struggle to keep the main thing the main thing at Christmas. December is the toughest month of all for me to give God glory and priority.
There. I said it.
Is anybody still here?
Can anyone relate to my annual Christmas angst?
Okay, I know you can, and that’s why I’ve come up with:
The Glo Girl Guide to Christmas: 6 Simple Ways to Give God Glory & Priority at Christmas
I’ll share the first two ways to give God glory and priority at Christmas today and, over the next few Mondays, I’ll give you the rest. But first, I want to give you a little background about how I discovered The Glo Girl Guide to Christmas:
A few weeks ago, as I was reading Deuteronomy 16, I noticed a repeated word. The word was “celebrate,” and it was used six times (in the New Living Translation). But it wasn’t just a word.
It was a command.
Basically, God told His people, “Thou shalt celebrate.” Don’t you love that?!
God commanded His people to celebrate several feasts and festivals each year. And although we don’t celebrate these same Old Testament feasts and festivals today, I do believe with all of my heart that God still wants His children to celebrate. And what better reason to celebrate than the birth of His Son!
Deuteronomy 16 also reveals six instructions for celebrating God’s way. By following these same six instructions today, we can celebrate Christmas God’s way — in a way that gives Him glory and priority. And these are the first two instructions:
#1: Honor God, glo girl!
“Then celebrate . . . to honor the LORD your God.” Deut. 16:10 (NLT)
“For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the LORD your God.” Deut. 16:15 (NLT)
Why celebrate Christmas? Why celebrate Jesus’ birth? To honor the Lord.
The primary purpose of Christmas isn’t shopping and decorating. The primary purpose of Christmas isn’t giving and receiving. The primary purpose of Christmas isn’t even family and friends. The primary purpose of Christmas is to honor the Lord. So, even as you’re shopping, decorating, giving, receiving, etc., make Jesus your primary focus, and you will honor the Lord.
#2: Give to God, glo girl!
“Honor the LORD your God. Bring him a voluntary offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him.” Deut. 16:10 (NLT)
“[At these annual festivals] all men must . . . not appear before the LORD without a gift for him. All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the LORD your God.” Deut. 16:16-17 (NLT)
Before you give anything to anyone, make your first gift to God. How? By giving to His work through your local church first and foremost then to other missions and ministries who honor Him as well. And how much should you give? In proportion to how He has blessed you and as you are able.
Next Monday I’ll give you #3 and #4 of The Glo Girl Guide to Christmas, but until then:
- If you struggle to keep the main thing the main thing at Christmas,
- If it’s tough for you to give God glory and priority in December,
Then join me in putting first things first this Christmas. Let’s honor God and give Him our very first gift. Because this Christmas, let’s glo, girl!
Your sister,
How do you keep the main thing the main thing at Christmas? What has the Lord taught you about how to handle the stress and busyness of the holidays?