Insight For Living Daily Devotional by Chuck Swindoll Ministry 25 December 2024 | Topic:  Operational Arrival

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Operational Arrival

December 25, 2024

by Pastor Chuck SwindollScriptures: Luke 2:16–17

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Lost in the wonder of it all, I believe a little child upon my knee would whisper simple words of advice up close to my ear.

Let’s slow down. The special joy of Christmas is spending extra hours with folks you love. That takes time. Rather than talking about how much we’d like to make it happen, why not slow down and do it?

Let’s stay home. Clever commercial schemes abound during the Yuletide season to get you to go somewhere. Good movies are tempting. A little festivity is fine, so long as the activities don’t become your full focus. Guard your time at home this Christmas season. Stay there.

Let’s tell stories. Storytelling has almost faded from our modern scene. Read the Christmas story today, you can find it in Luke 2. Let the wonder in.

Let’s have fun. Laughter fits these relaxed days. Joy becomes the season. It can be traced back to some fields near the little town of Bethlehem where the angel startled a cluster of shepherds with the happy words, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy!” (Luke 2:10). Whatever you do, don’t forget to have fun.

Let’s give ourselves. How easy to substitute store-bought things for the gen-u-ine thing—you. Your touch of appreciation. Your listening ears. Your phone call of love. Something you make with your own hands. A thoughtful gift of your time or your energy written down and promised to be fulfilled sometime in the new year. In my opinion that’s what makes God’s gift to us so valuable.

Consider the lesson of the shepherds:

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.

LUKE 2:16–17

It really is a simple time, isn’t it?

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