Christmas is so loud! With all the noise of Christmas these days I feel like my Christian faith sometimes only adds to the noise of the "silly season". On top of all the intensity of consumerism, excess, family stress you have all the challenges that many Christians face at Christmas. We should focus more on Jesus, make it more meaningful, give more, serve more, worship more and just be more thankful than we are. Thing is, it's hard to ignore these challenges. Nothing could be more important at Christmas than knowing, experiencing and expressing a profound sense of gratitude for the gift of Jesus.
How do we stay focused on the wonder of the gift of Jesus with all this noise?!
Hold that thought and consider this.
When we give a gift, ideally we want it to express our love for that person. We want it to demonstrate we know them well. When they open it I guess we hope something wonderful happens in them where they feel valued, intimately known and special to us.
You know I think that is what is at the centre of the love of God, the extravagant gift of Jesus. Interestingly extravagant can mean excessive and overdone yet it also can mean elaborate and unrestrained. There is an unrestrained generosity in the gift of Jesus that points to the intensity of God's love for us. May I suggest then that we focus on the things God would have rejoiced in as a result of His gift.
One example would be Helena, a former prostitute, who left the streets after finding Christ in an AE mission to Accra in Ghana . She went on to graduate from a small business training program and is now able to support her family. Quite simply she states 'I thank God for giving me a new start'. Or Nyaude who through the ministry of Stephen Lungu (AE International Team Leader) understood God's forgiveness and turned from a life of crime. Today a crowd of over 100 people gather every weekday to hear Nyaude speak of the love of God during the lunch hour in the centre of Lilongwe .
Stories like these are the consequence of this great gift we have been given. Where Jesus enters hope enters. People find dignity, purpose and new life. This I can imagine elicits a deep joy in our heavenly Farther where He smiles and sees the truest understanding and appreciation of the love he so lavished upon us. I wonder if this is where peace may come for us amidst the "silly season".
Why not go to www.africanenterprise.com.au and read some more stories of hope on our home page. I trust that may help if the noise of Christmas is getting too loud.
May I also ask that you support AE this Christmas. Our heart, our passion is to see this extravagant love of God be made know to many in Africa . For many it will be the only gift they will receive this Christmas, in fact the greatest gift they will ever receive. Just click on the "Give to…" statements underneath any of the stories that inspire you.
May God truly give you peace this Christmas.
Anthony Sell
Director of Ministry Development
African Enterprise Ltd.