What does God want for Christmas?

You’ve dotted every “I” and crossed every “t” in your Christmas shopping list. Your spouse, kids, aunts, uncles and co-workers all have their gifts. Yet I’d be willing to bet that you’ve forgotten someone – the most important someone. What did you get God for Christmas? Believe it or not, God wants something from you this Christmas. It isn’t the latest gadget, the newest toy or the fanciest clothes. To illustrate just what God wants from you this Christmas – I’d like to draw your attention to an often-unnoticed passage from scripture right after the Lord’s Prayer. In Luke 11:5-13: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” Jesus tells his disciples that their persistence in prayer reveals Gods gifts to them through the Holy Spirit. From this passage, we notice three unique things that God wants from all of us this Christmas:

1. God WANTS us to be close, not distant

Is God more like the friend, who simply wants to be left alone, or is he more like the Father. We learn from this passage that God is a Good Father. He does not want you to be distant from him, but to welcome you with open arms like a father who gives good gifts.

2. God WANTS us to ask for what we need

Just like the father in this parable, God wants to bless you lavishly with good gifts this Christmas. For some of us, we’ve experienced these gifts. Others, maybe you feel like you’ve asked for something and God’s given you a different thing instead. Well know today that there’s also a third thing God wants to give you …

3. God WANTS to give us good gifts, not bad

As your Good father, what God wants from you this Christmas is for you to receive His good gifts … of joy, peace, gentleness, etc. In the lead up to Christmas – ask yourself, what can I give God this Christmas? Give him your presence as you draw closer to Him and receive His gifts.