Something to ponder as you wander down the department store aisles this weekend

"Gray Thursday".  "Black Friday".  "Small Business Saturday".  "Cyber Monday".  Thank God 'they'--those that seem to control the minds and pocketbooks of weak-willed and mindless shoppers--haven't renamed the "Lord's Day."  Hopefully, 'they' will remember to keep holy the Sabbath as a day of rest and praise to God. 

Don't get me wrong, this is the favorite time of the year for most people.  For the most part,  I love the holidays—the time from just before Thanksgiving to a few days after New Year’s. I love it when family all comes together and the world seems a little bit brighter and more peaceful. Right now, we are one month from Christmas and the “rush” has begun. But a reading from Revelation is a great way to stop and reflect on what this holiday season really means and what a great and glorious God is our God.

In verse 8 it says, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.’” God is everything: the beginning and the end, the creator of all the earth. God’s promise that He always “is” is such a powerful thing.  It’s hard for us to comprehend eternity and the fact that God has always been and that He always will be. I am constantly amazed at His love and presence from a God who is so big, to me, a person who often feels so small.

So, today, think of that. Think of God’s constant love and His never-ending strength and power. Think of how blessed you are because of Him and all He has done for you. Spend a few moments ignoring the “rush” and just be silent and enjoy this season. After all, the reason for this whole season is to be thankful and to remember when God, the infinite and powerful Almighty, humbled Himself and became a man to reach out to us. Will you take time out to accept His greeting?