All the Needful Things

I once wrote a song with my old band called All the Needful Things. Here are the lyrics:

All the pretty houses on all the pretty streets
and miserable people trying to find some peace
and all the needful things
and the things you own will soon own you

As the chinging chorus of a million cash registers serenaded malls and retail outlets, ringing true with Yule tide Christmas greed last month, I was left to ponder just how a once God-fearing nation could evolve into this. Contrary to popular belief, this country still very much believes in God. Only the G has been downsized to g and the object of our desire is usually found in catalogues and retail stores. We worship things for 364 days a year. Why should Christmas be different? And why not take it to the nth degree?

Instead of turning my thoughts and energy Christ-ward (after all it is called Christmas) during the days and weeks that led up to the 25th, I found myself forced to focus on accomplishing a list of things that looked like this.

1. Make a list of all the things I want to receive.
2. Make a budget for how much I will spend on others. (because society says I have to buy certain people presents out of duty)
3. Outlast, outwit, and outsmart fellow shoppers on the battlefield of local malls.
4. Attend holiday work parties which usually have no spiritual acknowledgement.
5. Spend lots of time on setting up lights and decorations.

Sadly, despite very good intentions to "include" Christ in all of my Christmas-related activities, I have to be honest--I was as sucked into the whole holly-jolly, commercialized, pre-packaged show as anyone. Sure, I made sure to read a few obligatory verses and say a few prayers to "include" Christ in my holiday. Wasn't it thoughtful of me and so very Christian-like to include my savior in a celebration of which he is the center. And that's what really set the alarm bells off afterward--about December 27th or so. In an effort (half hearted as it was) to include Jesus Christ in my Christmas holiday, I missed everything that should have been important. Christ was included, but sadly not the center of Christmas.

And how much more so do we try to include Christ in other pursuits? As though the Lord and Savior of the universe will undoubtedly be thrilled to learn that he has been invited to join me for a few minutes before my baseball game or night out with friends.

I'm grateful the Holy Spirit has been patiently teaching me lately that God doesn't want to be included in anything we pursue. He wants to be the thing we pursue, so that all earthly endeavors, tasks, or celebrations we choose to undertake become a stage for his glory to be displayed.

What has the Holy Spirit been teaching you?