If This Is Your Last Christmas

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

Recently my mom came up to Ohio to visit from Kentucky. She wanted to have Christmas with us and especially with all the great-grandkids. She brought them presents to open. She can’t be with us on Christmas, so she celebrated early with everyone.

I know when mom comes up to visit that each visit could be her last one. Not wanting to sound morbid, but she is eighty years old, on dialysis, and has other health problems as well. So we try to make the most of each time she visits.

I was thinking about that and I sensed the Lord impress upon me the question: What if this were your last Christmas? What would you do differently? Now the Lord was not telling me this will be my last Christmas, but He wanted me to reset my priorities regarding this coming season.

My first reaction was what I would not do. I would not worry about my waist line. I would not stress over either presents or finances. Nor would I fill my mind with news about all the tragedies in the world. I would first remember the season is about Christ. Our Savior coming to earth and bringing hope and joy to a dark world. This season is the darkest of the year when it comes to daylight hours. We need plenty of light to drive away the darkness. Jesus came to overcome the spiritual darkness of this world. Every good thing we have and so much we take for granted is because of the hope, love, joy, peace, and mercy made possible by God becoming one of us.

And I would focus on time with family and friends. Enjoying good meals together. Time talking and just being together. I would listen to good music, enjoy the lights and decorations, and watch the Christmas movie classics. I would let the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of the Christmas season flood my soul. That was my answer to the Lord. I sensed Him telling me that every Christmas should be like that.

What if you had just one more Christmas? What would you do differently this season?

Prayer: dear Lord, we waste so much time on the non-essentials in life, stressing away our days and nights when we know deep down You will work everything out to our benefit (Romans 8:28). Whether this is our last Christmas, or we have many more to come, help us to enjoy it like it were our last, wringing every drop of joy and every blessing from this season. And we thank You for it. Amen.