Christmas is indeed an unusual Holiday. This is the only day in the entire year where our actions seems to be at such odds with our hearts. For many, there is a genuine desire to fully celebrate the deep meaning found in God's most precious gift to mankind. Yet somehow, somewhere that meaning is usually lost. Somewhere from the starting line that we call Black Friday to the Finish line that we know as Christmas morning, we lose that which we hold most dear. This most special holiday of all rarely turns out the way we hoped.

It is as if there are two worlds in conflict with each other. One desires to fully worship God and give Him all the praise that only He deserves. The other relishes in buying gifts at deep discounts that are here today and gone tomorrow. It doesn't matter what.For some, it's electronics, for others it is clothes. Pick your poison, it doesn't matter. The result is the same. We are all caught up in the madness of Christmas. We fight the traffic, fight for parking space, search store after store, suffer through long lines to find gift after gift. Sometimes we find them, sometimes we don't. Either way, it doesn't really matter, the damage has been done.

Have you ever wonder what it might be like to let these two worlds of Christmas collide? What if we let that deep seated desire to worship God in the church invade the domains of the malls? What would it be like fully surrender the entire Christmas shopping experience to the one we call "Lord." Isn't that the way it is supposed to be?

Wouldn't it be marvelous to transform the commercial experience we call "shopping" into a "sacred" event? What if we surrendered our shopping list to God? Those moments we are stuck in traffic will transform into quiet moments of refuge with God.Instead of festering in anger as we wait for parking and wait in line, we steal each moment for prayer. The hassle we have come to know as Christmas shopping would be replaced with His Peace. We would be different. Others would notice. Isn't that the way it is supposed to be?

What if we sought to follow the prompting of his Spirit to decide what gifts we should or should not buy? What if we gave up rights to choose gifts and let God pick the gifts? Just think what might happen. We won't over spend because God know what we can and can not afford. With His wisdom guiding us, we would not purchase things irresponsibly. We might find ourselves making smaller sacrifices for those friends who are really not friends. We might find ourselves make greater sacrifices for those we care little for. God has a way of leading us to those he cares deeply for. Such sacrifices will bring us closer to the heart of God. Just think what might happen when the Holy Spirit has total control over your credit card. Everything we buy becomes an opportunity to touch a life. A sweater, a toy is no longer just a purchase, but an token of God's love.For the many who feel unloved during this season, such a gift could desperately change a life. There is no price tag for such love.

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