This morning as I was “prayer-thinking” with Jesus about going into town, I felt He directed me to a different kind of strategy for showing strangers His love today. The impression I had was to write a special Christmas greeting containing His simple good news message, print it out and place it onto the back of different Christmas card pictures, cut out with pretty edges!
I remembered that I had some Christmas cards already prepared like this somewhere in the house – cards from previous seasons which had been recycled into larger gift tags. Found them! The next challenge was what to write for the greeting! As I asked Holy Spirit to help me, the words that seemed to stand out as the main theme were “You are chosen”. The rest of the message went like this:
You are CHOSEN !
The Christ of Christmas gladly chooses you.
Not because of your looks,
strength, intelligence - or charm!
Not because of the good things you have done.
But simply because He dreamed of you,
uniquely created you and brought you into the world.
He gave His all – even His very own life –
to deal with the things you know are not good in you.
All of them – every single one.
He gave you His own perfect goodness in exchange!
Now He has one question for you –
“Will you choose Me? Not just for Christmas, but always?”
He waits longingly for you, the one He loves, to say “Yes” to Him
Once all the printing, cutting and pasting was done, I set off with the cards in a decorative gift bag. I was almost at the city centre when I realised I had left my phone, credit card etc back at home! I didn’t even have enough coins to pay for a car park so…..back home I went! I still felt that giving the cards to different people was what Abba had for me to do today – so I drove back to town a second time! I hope I am learning to see these kind of delays and diversions as opportunities God uses to keep me to His timetable – so I won’t be a minute too soon or too late for those specific ones He wants me to encounter. As I drove, I prayed that every hand that received a card would be one prepared by Him, someone who would be drawn to keep the card and really think about its message – not just forget about it or put it in the bin.
I got going straight away – surprising a couple coming through the car park with my Christmas Greeting! They seemed pretty happy, though! From then on it was a joy to criss-cross the city centre, handing out a card to any I felt were highlighted in some way:- a lady whose cute little niece waved at me as she went past in a shop, an NHS volunteer helping with covid testing in the town, different shopkeepers, mums-to-be or with babies in prams, shop assistants, little huddles of friends chatting together or a grandma with her daughter and baby loading the car. People were genuinely touched that someone they didn’t know would give them something hand-made, all because they wanted to bless them and their family this Christmas. Some wanted to wait until a quiet moment to read the message privately.
Eventually I had just two cards left of about twenty. One had a cat in the snow on it. I knew that only someone who loved cats would appreciate that card but had not come across that person yet. I was purchasing a last-minute gift in a store and asked the young lady serving me at the checkout if she liked cats?! “Oh, I absolutely adore them!” she replied. “Then you are the special person this card is meant for!” I told her, as I handed her the cat Christmas card and explained there was a message for her on the other side. She was so thankful to me for giving her this - making special mention of the cats’ beautiful eyes!- and said she wished she could give me something! Her response to my question and the card was all the gift I could have wanted!
One final card was left …….emblazoned with the name Jesus on it! I was back at the car park by now and, as I loaded up my car, I was aware of a lady in the distance packing a pram into her car and talking to her friend/passenger. I felt this pram lady was the person the last card was for, so I whizzed over and wished her a Happy Christmas, said what a beautiful family she had and gave her the card and message. The lady looked like she had lived a lot of life and needed a good break – in every sense of the word. She could easily have sent me packing, saying couldn’t I see she was too busy for whatever I had come for….instead she was surprised but grateful as she took the card, thanking me for taking the time to come over and bless her family and hoping that I, too, would have a very happy Christmas.
What a beautiful time it was delivering Christmas post for Jesus! Now I pray that the seeds of Life inside those cards and messages will germinate, grow and flourish under God’s watchful care. To you be the harvest and all the glory, Jesus!
May I wish you the most blessed Christmas, dear reader of this Laughing Lion Blog! Whichever town, village, country or continent you live in; whether you have just casually dropped in today or are a regular visitor - you are so welcome here. I appreciate you immensely and I would LOVE to hear from you! (email address or comments section below) Above all – may you know the love of our wonderful Saviour, Jesus, more and more as you journey on through the coming year.
Gilly x