Our Daily Bread -- Creeping Christmas?

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Our Daily Bread -- Creeping Christmas? November 13, 2014 Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn READ: Galatians 4:1-7 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! —2 Corinthians 9:15 I love Christmas. The celebration of the birth of Christ and the beauty and wonder of the season make it “the most wonderful time of the year” for me. In recent years, however, the season has been accompanied by a growing irritation. Every year “Christmas stuff” comes out earlier and earlier—creeping all the way back to early fall. Christmas used to be limited to December, but now we find radio stations playing Christmas music in early November. Stores start advertising Christmas specials in October, and Christmas candy appears in late September. If we’re not careful, this growing deluge can numb us—even sour us to what should be a season of gratitude and awe. When that irritation begins to rise in my spirit, I try to do one thing: Remember. I remind myself what Christmas means, who Jesus is, and why He came. I remember the love and grace of a forgiving God who sent us rescue in the Person of His Son. I remember that, ultimately, only one gift really matters—God’s “indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15). I remember that the salvation Christ came to provide is both the gift and the Giver all wrapped up in one. Jesus is our life all year long, and He is the greatest wonder. “O come, let us adore Him!” —Bill Crowder Living God, I thank You for the unspeakable gift of Your Son. Draw my heart to Your own, that my worship to and gratitude for Your Son will never be diminished by the distractions of the world around me. Jesus is our life throughout the year. Bible in a year: Lamentations 1-2; Hebrews 10:1-18 Insight In today’s passage, Paul explains that our salvation is the work of our triune God. First, “God sent forth His Son” (v.4). Second, Jesus came to accomplish our redemption—setting us free from the bondage of the law—and to secure our adoption, making us sons of God and enabling us to enjoy the full privileges as God’s children (v.5). Third, God gave us the Holy Spirit—“the Spirit of His Son,” who endears and enables us to cry out “Abba, Father!” (v.6). The work all three persons of the Holy Trinity did to secure our salvation is also explained by Paul in Ephesians 1:3-14 and by Peter in 1 Peter 1:2. Jesus spoke of this as well (John 14:16-18,23-26; 15:26). Share your comments on today’s devotional at odb.org.   You can make a difference. Even the smallest donation helps reach people around the world with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. Donate	Special Offer Subscribe Mail Receive ODB at home Podcast Download ODB on iTunes Mobile Get ODB on the go Facebook facebook.com/ourdailybread Twitter twitter.com/ourdailybread Instagram instagram.com/our_daily_bread Google+ Add us to your circle RSS odb.org/feed
To read today's Our Daily Bread online visit www.odb.org. Copyright © 2014, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA. Written permission must be obtained from RBC Ministries for any further posting or distribution. RBC Ministries produces a variety of Bible resources, which are available for the asking. Many people, making even the smallest of donations, enable RBC Ministries to reach others with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. We are not funded or endowed by any group or denomination. Write rbc@rbc.org for more information. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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