Daily Devotion - December 18, 2009

Listen to the song A Christmas Blessing from the recording A Jernigan Family Christmas

“…Merry Christmas I wish you…”

The word ‘merry’ is usually associated with Christmas due to the use of the phrase ‘merry Christmas’. The word merry literally means ‘full of joy’. When breaking down the word ‘Christmas' we are reminded that the word ‘Christ’ is literally the Son of God Who came as the Savior of mankind. The rest of the word ‘mas’ is a shortening of the word ‘mass’ which means ‘ceremony’ and can mean celebration. When we ‘wish’ something on someone, such as ‘we wish you a merry Christmas’ we are actually speaking a blessing upon them. To wish someone a merry Christmas is to say this: “I bless you with a joy-filled celebration of the Savior’! When I say merry Christmas I am blessing someone else with the hope that I have found. When you hear those words over the next few days, take them to heart and receive the blessing – whether those speaking it ‘get it’ or not! And in like manner, speak it as more than a perfunctory phrase. Mean it as a blessing to those you speak it to. You will find you receive a blessing when you give a blessing. It’s part of God’s economy – we reap what we sow!

Take time to consciously bless others as Christmas approaches. What better time to bless people with the hope of salvation than during the time when even the secular world is confronted with those simple little words ‘Merry Christmas’!

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Romans 12:14 NASB

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6:7 NASB

Excerpted from the new book by Dennis Jernigan called Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers available at http://dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=21&p=2067