Over the years, at Christmas, we have done the gift thing for our family . . . or rather my wife has done the gift thing, in that she has done all the shopping for us. Most times when gifts, given by “my wife and me”, are opened, I’m as surprised as the one receiving the gifts.

Over the years, at Christmas, we have done the gift thing for our family . . . or rather my wife has done the gift thing, in that she has done all the shopping for us. Most times when gifts, given by “my wife and me”, are opened, I’m as surprised as the one receiving the gifts.

I can remember how excited I was for Christmas morning as a child. I would usually get up real early in the morning and sneak out to the living room to look under the tree. I was good . . . I would never touch anything because that might give me a clue as to what was inside. I would make my way around the tree to try and read the names that were on the packages . . . I wanted to see which ones were mine. Sometimes that would mean that I would have to stand on my head to make out the name . . . but that was part of the fun. I always hated the fact that we had to wait until everyone was up to open the gifts. It seemed as though time stood still as I waited.

One year, a couple of days before Christmas, I unintentionally stumbled onto a bunch of bags in my parents’ closet.  I wasn’t snooping . . . I was just going to get something else I was after. I knew that I had just found things that would find their way under the tree Christmas morning. I can’t believe what I chose to do . . . I closed the door and walked away.

Thinking back, I realize that the issue wasn’t that I found all my gifts in the closet, but rather, would I obey what I knew my parents would want me to do? . . .  But . . . If I took just a peek, I could enjoy knowing what things would be mine, in just a couple of days. What harm could there be in that?

The reality is, had I looked, I would have felt guilty up until Christmas day. . . and beyond. On Christmas day, rather than showing genuine surprise, I would have had to lie, by looking surprised. I think of the disappointment that my parents would experience as they looked on and the picture of that, “Just right gift” look, was less than expected.

Patience . . . All it took for me was waiting . . . In doing so, I avoided all of the guilt that I would have otherwise faced. My parents were anticipating my excitement when I opened the gifts and would jump at what I saw . . . Instead, I could have robbed them of that joy and forced them into a situation that demanded my punishment.

In the book of Joshua, Achan ruined his “Christmas” as he robbed God of the joy that would have come through his patient obedience.

Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2 And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. (And so they did)

5 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. . . . Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city. 17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction . . .18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction . . . 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” . . .

7:1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan . . . took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel.

20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,[c] then I coveted them and took them . . . 25 . . . Joshua said . . . “The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. (biblegateway.com, ESV)

If only Achan had been patient and obeyed. In chapter 8, God gave Israel the very things that Achan chose to take for himself.

Joshua 8:1 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land. 2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. ONLY ITS SPOILS AND ITS LIVESTOCK YOU SHALL TAKE AS PLUNDER FOR YOURSELVES.”  (biblegateway.com, ESV)

Lord, I need to wait on You and not allow the distractions of this world tempt me to be disobedient to You. Help me to remember that my time, like gold and silver are Yours, to require of me. . . or to gift to me.  I need to wait until Your gifts are beautifully wrapped and place under my tree.  Until then. my job is to respond obediently. 

More than just a believer in God, I need to be a follower of Jesus!