Having a purpose filled Christmas as a family

Text: Luke 2:8-14
The Christmas season is the busiest season all over the world, and it’s characterised by festivities of various kinds, exchange of gifts, buying of clothes and expending lot of money on entertainment, decorations, renovations, housing projects, new cars and food. It has been estimated that in 2019, the average American will spend between $700 and $900 on gifts alone, totaling $460bn.

In the midst of all the Christmas festivities, it’s important that we don’t forget the very essence of Christmas, which is a commemoration of the birth of the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to bring Salvation to mankind.

In time past, especially in Nigeria, Christmas was a time for connections and visitations, aside the usual wining and dining.

For the family, Christmas affords couples the opportunity to collectively do things that will not only lead to greater bonding, but also affect people’s lives positively. I would like to suggest ways families could have a purposeful and memorable Christmas:

• Couples Day Out: in our ever-busy lives, many couples do not have the opportunity to spend time alone, away from the children and other distractions. Drop the children off with their grandparents, who will be only glad to have them and go somewhere you and your spouse will unwind. This is very important in strengthening your marriage.

• Family Outings: It is very common for families to visit places of public interest like recreational parks and gardens. In addition to these, try and visit tourist attraction centres that will help to educate and enlighten our children.

• Acts of Kindness: This is a period when you can easily share the love of Christ without the fear of being misjudged or misunderstood. You can pay for a stranger’s bus fare, groceries and what have you, and I am sure it will open up avenues for evangelism.

• Appreciating People in your life: This period is also a good time to appreciate the people in your life that have made 2019 memorable. Top on the list should be your biological parents, if they are still alive, your spiritual parents, friends and colleagues, who impacted your life. Sending them a gift or a thank you message will go a long way.

• Remembering the needy and less privileged: Visiting orphanages and Old people’s home and giving them food stuff so they too can celebrate Christmas as a family will be a wonderful experience.

• Inviting People to church: This is one of the times of the year, when people are very receptive to invitation to attend church services. Invite your family, friends and neighbours, who do not go to church, ask them to celebrate Christmas with you in the house of God on Christmas day. Many people are looking forward to showing off their new clothes and you can give them an opportunity to do so.

• Sowing in Missionary field as a family: This is a good time to remember missionaries, who are labouring in hostile environments. They need clothing, food items and other necessities and your “widow’s mite” will go a long way.

Finally, if only we can channel 10 percent of our Christmas spending into furthering the gospel, the world will be the better for it. So, as you go on a spending spree this season, remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
Enquiries: Elshaddai Covenant Church, 7, Social Club Road, Off Charity Road, Abule-Egba. Tel: 08080929292 (Calls only); 08182281184 (WhatsApp messages only).