WEEK 5: PREPARING FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Welcome to Week 5 in our Preparing for the Holidays series. If you’d like to read the introduction to the series, read Start Here: Preparing for the Holidays. Click here for Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4.
Each week we’ll focus on two actions to center as we pray. Throughout this series, we’ll also focus on a passage from Colossians 3:12-17. You can read it in full at the end of the post.
Welcome + Generosity
Tis the season for generosity! While generosity is welcomed all year round, we can’t deny the reality that this season is when people seem most open to it. When I worked for a non-profit serving men, women and children in addiction and also a shelter for people experiencing homelessness, we always saw a significant increase in volunteer applications between the months of October through December. I remember one time, a person asking to volunteer became upset when we said that we were full for the holiday months but could use their help in February when we have fewer volunteer inquiries. Unfortunately, they chose not to pursue it. While I don’t want to perpetuate a focus on volunteering and awareness of needs only during this season, I do want to use it to all of our advantage. What happens if we view this season of paying closer attention to the needs around us as a catalyst toward a life of awareness and seeking opportunities to serve others? Pray for awareness and opportunities to both welcome others and show generosity with your time, talent, finances, etc.
Here are some questions to consider:
How has God welcomed you? How have you received His generosity?
How can you imitate these things?
Where is the Holy Spirit inviting you to share generously - financially? With your time? Something else?
Read below or listen to this passage and meditate on it.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
