Christmas in 110 Degree Texas Heat

This is our first July and August in Texas in over thirty years.  Colorado is the place to be in the summer for sure.  With the 110 degree heat in Texas this year we have not had too many “Christmas” thoughts, but this morning one came my way.  It involved the way we put the "manger" into our Christmas celebration, but too often have little time for the worship of Jesus The Christ.

Joseph and Mary  were not rich and powerful, yet able in spiritual wisdom to raise a healthy son, Jesus.  He grew in wisdom and grace.  He was affirmed as growing in wisdom, stature, favor with God and man.

Why did God use the sign of a baby in a “manger” to mark the arrival of Jesus Christ the Savior?  I wonder if he wanted to make sure that we who worship Him would be more drawn to contentment than money.  Several places God reminds us focus on spiritual riches before money riches.

Psalm 39.

¹¹ When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin,
    you consume their wealth like a moth—
    surely everyone is but a breath.

¹² “Hear my prayer, Lord,
    listen to my cry for help;
    do not be deaf to my weeping.
I dwell with you as a foreigner,
    a stranger, as all my ancestors were.
¹³ Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
    before I depart and am no more.”

Proverbs 15.

²⁴ The path of life leads upward for the prudent
    to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.

²⁵ The Lord tears down the house of the proud,
    but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.

²⁶ The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked,
    but gracious words are pure in his sight.

²⁷ The greedy bring ruin to their households,
    but the one who hates bribes will live.

Ecclesiastes 5.

¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
¹⁴     or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
    there is nothing left for them to inherit.
¹⁵ Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
    and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
    that they can carry in their hands.

Matthew 6.34

³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

1 Timothy 6.

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Final Charge to Timothy

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

So today as I go about the pursuit of my adjustment to the move to Texas in the summer heat, a prayer for today.

God help me to be content. 

Give me a focus on the worship of the Lion of Judah

who was also the Lamb of God who was born into this world and laid in a “manger”.

Luke 2.

Larry Wishard