Dec 23, 2025 – Appreciate
We had a family holiday gathering last night. It was so much fun that we didn’t even mind straightening up the debris this morning. One thing I always enjoy, which I’m guessing will sound odd, is going through the bag of discarded Christmas wrappings. The ripped paper being tossed is one thing (and should be ripped with pleasure), but it almost pains me to watch perfectly good tissue paper, bows, and gift bags be thrown away; so, my day after usually includes sorting the treasures from the trash. It’s a metaphor of sorts for life as we seek to appreciate the beauty of the people and things around us (and to limit what goes into landfills).
Power – Romans 12:1 The Message – “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” Joyce writes, “There are dozens of things pertaining to ordinary, everyday life, and you can enjoy them all if you just make a decision to do it…. Begin doing them for the love of God, and realize that through the Holy Spirit you can enjoy absolutely everything you do. Joy doesn’t come merely from being entertained, but from a decision to appreciate each moment you are given as a rare and precious gift from God.”
Streams – Cowman writes about Elijah (1 Kings 19) and how he was God’s “tired servant” who had “done tremendous work… but the run had been too much for him and had sapped his physical strength, ultimately causing him to become depressed.” God led him to get rest and food so he could be refreshed. Cowman points out, “Therefore may we never confuse physical weariness with spiritual weakness.”
JA – “THOSE WHO WAIT UPON ME will gain new strength. Spending time alone with Me is so good for you, but…. Multitasking and staying busy have become the norm…. So I encourage you to break free from all the activity and demands for a while. Seek My Face and enjoy My Presence, remembering that Christmas is all about Me…. Rejoice in the new strength you have gained through spending time with Me.” (See Isaiah 40:31 and Psalm 27:8)
Prevail 357 – Larson offers us an important perspective about God’s holiness as she writes, “He who spoke galaxies into reality without lifting a finger, delights in you. He loves you. He even likes you. Grasping His love will heal your soul. And yet some have become so chummy with God, they’ve forgotten about His Holiness and the sheer power that emanates from His throne…. Seek God daily. Run to Him gladly. But always remember who it is you’re speaking to when you approach His throne…. God in heaven, you deserve all the power, glory, and honor! You are God most high! Amen.”
JC – “I am King of kings and Lord of lords, dwelling in dazzling bright Light! I am also your shepherd, companion, and friend – the One who never lets go of your hand. Worship Me in My holy majesty; Come close to Me, and rest in My presence. You need Me both as God and as Man.”
Utmost – “The proof that your ‘old man’ has been crucified with Christ is in the amazing ease with which the life of God in you enables you to obey the voice of Jesus Christ. Every now and again, our Lord lets us see what we would be like if it were not for Himself; it is a justification of what He said – ‘Without Me ye can do nothing.’”
