Whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23
The work of the Christmas season is behind us. Gifts were bought, wrapped and delivered. Meals were planned, prepared, and served. Church celebrations of Jesus' birth took place, and we worshipped the babe of Bethlehem. Advent celebration has come and gone, but what remains should be a working in your heart to live your life to please Jesus.
Howard Thurman was an American author, philosopher, theologian, educator, and civil rights leader who died nearly forty years ago. He was a man who marked his world. I recently came across a poem which he wrote expressing what "work" is to be done after the calendar page of December 25th is torn off and the new year begun. It is about what you and I can do for Christ and His Kingdom while we remain here on earth. May his wise, challenging words stir within you a deep desire to move forward in serving the Lord everyday. Let them resonate in your heart and call you to action in our broken, hurting world, because it is now that the work of Christmas begins.
Written by: Lois Dahlstrom
The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among others,
To make music in the heart.
(From Howard Thurmans's The Mood of Christmas & Other Celebrations)