All I want for Christmas..... ~ The Lord

All I want for Christmas is……..
Jeremiah 10:2-4
2 This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.
Someone referred to the above verses as rhema. (A primary Greek word that describes Scripture is rhema, which refers to a word that is spoken and means “an utterance.” A rhema is a verse or portion of Scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention with application to a current situation or need for direction.)
At first when I compared these verses in several versions, I determined the Lord was speaking to the Jews about idolatry….the common practice of that day of carving and adorning idols.
Now, I sense He is showing me something….that Christmas has become a form of idolatry. Even for believers. I’ve been caught up in it, too. I have caved in to the pressure of the season. There’s been incredible stress in shopping, making our home, our gifts, our church events and every element of Christmas special.
Yes, Jesus is a part of this, but is He the main part? The verses refer to the customs of the people being worthless. With what I know of God’s word, the majority of the practices we have around Christmas are worthless to Him.
Why are we breaking our necks to get just the right thing? To decorate the perfect tree, the perfect centerpiece, the perfect edible gift for our friends. It is good to give gifts. But, He desires mercy, not sacrifice. (MT 12:7)
Is my “celebration” bringing glory to God? Is my succumbing to these pressures what He is asking me to do? Who, then, am I aiming to please? It is true that when we host a Christmas event at church, we want it to look good and appealing because we are hoping to bring new people to our church and ultimately into the Kingdom of God.
Isaiah 58:6
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

I think there is a way to acknowledge and celebrate the propitious event of our Savior’s birth that glorifies God and pleases Him. We honor His birth with songs of rejoicing and adoration and we give gifts to our family and friends as a commemoration of this Holy Day! We slaughter the fattened calf and prepare a magnificent feast. We are merciful to one another. God sent His son, the Prince of Peace, to live in human form and to die to save mankind. We honor and worship our God for His ultimate sacrifice by giving Him our very best because we know what tugs at God’s heartstrings: being merciful and forgiving, satisfying the needs of the oppressed, sharing our food with the hungry, clothing and providing for the poor wanderer. The King is born. Hallelujah! We rejoice and celebrate! We share the good news with others!
I know this begins a bit cynical of our much-loved holiday, Christmas. It is not intended to take away your joy, but to inspire us to give God what He really wants for Christmas. ~Blessings, Suzan