To do lists:
Gift lists:
Thank you note lists:
Grocery lists:
Shopping lists:
Event planning lists:
Christmas card lists:
I must admit – I do LOVE a list. In fact, I’m one of those people who end up spending more time making the lists than I do accomplishing the tasks ON the lists. And, if I do something that wasn’t on the list, I’ll actually write it down just for the simple pleasure of crossing it off! So I get lists. Lists are part of my life.
But sometimes my lists overwhelm me. My husband says it’s because I always put more on my list than I can possibly do in one day. I think he’s right. So I’ve learned something that has made a HUGE difference in my list making – and I wanted to pass it along to you. This little activity actually helps me “Keep Christ AS Christmas” and I hope it will work for you, too.
I make my lists with Jesus.
My grocery list, gift list, to do list, daily list, shopping list, event list, etc.
Jesus is a great List-Maker-Helper. And when I’m doing the physical activity of writing the pressing things down, I imagine myself giving every item on those lists to Him. Then they become Jesus’ lists, and according to Jeremiah 32:17, Nothing is too difficult for Him!
{{Yes, Jesus is God and He is very focused on the weak, weary, hurting, starving, fighting people and areas of the world. But He is also big enough to focus on those things as well as us and our needs, as minimal as they may seem. I want to encourage you in this: Don’t underestimate God’s power and ability to help you with the little things. We expect God to do the big things, so we can readily give them to Him. But it is when we give the little over to Him and watch Him work – that’s when we see His presence in the details – and He gets great glory! Your grocery lists or gift lists are NOT too miniscule to give to Him.}}
How can this help us Keep Christ AS Christmas?
When we give our “to-do”s over to Jesus, when we ask Him to help us shop and wrap the gifts, when we consult Him on what to cook or to wear… when we surrender our daily lives and the “little things” that we tend to control, that is a form of worship. Laying down our all – the big and the small – and trusting Jesus with everything helps focus our crowded minds and hearts on the TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS ~ Jesus. It keeps us looking to Him for direction and instruction and for the solving of the problems that normally tie us up in knots.
Isaiah 30:21 tells us, “And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left.”
From now on, when you make those lists, make the lists, and check them twice – but do it with Jesus. Then you’ll remember that you don’t have to fulfill the lists alone. Make them with Jesus. Give them to Jesus. Then obey Jesus with every step, and you’ll be amazed at how this little practice will help you Keep Christ AS Christmas this year.
“Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.” Proverbs 16:3, AMP
or as the Message puts it:
“Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place.” Prov. 16:3, MSG
Hope you have a wonderful Christ-Focused weekend … in whatever it is that is on your lists. 😉
E-book Keeping Christ AS Christmas: Preparing hearts, households, and homes for PEACE this Christmas season. Click here for more details, and “like”the Keeping Christ AS Christmas facebook page to share YOUR ideas on keeping Jesus as the Center of the Christmas season.
