Making a List


 

 

 

It’s what we do at Christmas –right?

  • The gift list
  • The shopping list
  • The baking list
  • The Christmas card list
  • The decorating list

Some are then broken down into sub-lists.  The shopping list, for example, might be subdivided to grocery shopping, mall shopping, and on-line ordering. The decorating list might be inside and outside.

It’s fun and frenzy. It’s happy and hectic. It’s stressful and sensational. It’s Christmas.

How refreshing to note a list also included in the Christmas passage found in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 1:1 begins:

“A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ…”

And Matthew 1:17 ends:

“… Jesus, who is called Christ.”

The first seventeen verses of the New Testament are devoted to tracing the heritage of Jesus—42 generations in all. Lots of names, some familiar and others not so much.

Is it a coincidence that His name is at the beginning and at the end? He is the alpha and the omega. He is the beginning of our real life – the “life that is truly life” (I Timothy 6:19) – and the end – our “blessed hope” for eternity (Titus 2:13).

We are often told that doing less is more. We are challenged to simplify, eliminate, cut down, and cut back. Create white space. I’ve tried. I can’t.

My solution instead is to keep HIM first and last. To put Jesus at the top of every list. I’m asking the Holy Spirit to give me a Christ-centered focus as I go about shopping, wrapping, decorating, baking, packing, mailing, delivering, cooking, hosting, and every other ing that finds its way to my life and my list.

Go ahead.  Make the lists. Check them and then check them off. But keep Christ at the top – the first and the last – of every list. After all, it’s HIS birthday we are celebrating!

 

Photo attribution: www.clipartkid.com

 

 

 

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2 Responses to Making a List

  1. Lee Anne Kendrick says:

    Yes! I can just see you standing before a large crowd, with that sparkle in your voice, capturing our focus to look to our Lord, in all things! Thank you so much for this uplifting message. I needed this. Merry Christmas! In Christ, Lee Anne

  2. Kay Klotz says:

    thanks so much, Laura. This was perfect. Kay

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