1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Daily Prayer, 2 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: a podcast dedicated to helping you find the words you 3 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: need to connect with your Father in Heaven. No matter 4 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: what is going on in your life today, you can 5 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after 6 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: this show word from our sponsor, we will pray through 7 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: today's prayer to shine the light of Christ in a 8 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: busy season. Together. A Prayer to shine the Light of 9 00:00:55,600 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: Christ in a Busy Season, written by Clarence Haines, read 10 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: by Kerrie Eichberger. A rise, Shine, for your light has come, 11 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: and the glory of the Lord rises upon you Isaiah sixty, 12 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: verse one. Every year, when the holidays roll around, people 13 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: plan for the season. The common question is what are 14 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: you doing for Christmas? Hidden beneath that question are all 15 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,279 Speaker 1: the things you must do to make the holidays season 16 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 1: feel like the Holidays. You need to put up the 17 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,960 Speaker 1: Christmas tree, decorate the house, work through the gift list, 18 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 1: buy all the groceries, clean the house, host on Christmas Day, 19 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: and then clean up again after everyone leaves. I am 20 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: exhausted just thinking about it. Speaking of cleaning, for those 21 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: from the Caribbean, you must pick down the house which 22 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: means cleaning the house in an extra special way during 23 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: the holiday season. Regardless of your traditions, the holidays are 24 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: extremely busy for everyone. Oh did I forget to mention 25 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: that you do all of this on top of your 26 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: already busy schedule of work, kids, family, church, ministry, and 27 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: so on. If you are feeling the weight of all 28 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: of this, join me and feeling exhausted already. While the 29 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: season moves at a break neck pace, we cannot forget 30 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: one simple truth. Our responsibility, even in this season is 31 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: to shine the light of Christ. I'd like to share 32 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: some ways you can shine the light of Christ during 33 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: this busy holiday season. Slow down and be present while 34 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: the food and festivities are all wonderful to enjoy. The 35 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: whole point of the holiday season is to spend time 36 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: with people. One thing about Jesus is that he was 37 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: never too busy to spend time with one person. While 38 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: you were running around and all the busyness, you could 39 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: miss the ones right in front of you. When that happens, 40 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: you have missed the whole point of the season. Be 41 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: present with the people you are around, because showing them 42 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: you love and care about them is the type of 43 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: light Christ would shine be kind. One of the greatest 44 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: ways to shine the light of Christ is through your kindness. 45 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: Sometimes your greatest testimony is not how much Bible you know, 46 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: but how kind you treat people. I knew of a 47 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: gentleman who was not a Bible scholar by any means. However, 48 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: the kindness he showed to people was his greatest witness 49 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: and opened the door for him to share the love 50 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: of Jesus with those who encountered him. In the rush 51 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: of this season, when you're trying to get the last 52 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: thing done on your list, don't forget the need to 53 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: be kind. So hold the door open or lend a hand. 54 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: If you see someone needing help. When you see the 55 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: overword cashier, give them a word of encouragement. There are 56 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: countless ways to show kindness, and when you do, it 57 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: can open doors to point people to Jesus. Bless someone 58 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: who can't bless you back. Gift exchanges are fun, but 59 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: they can be flawed, not because they are enjoyable, but 60 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: because we give a gift and receive one in return. 61 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: In some ways, this misses the point. The true blessing 62 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: does not come from gifts received, but from gifts given. 63 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: The Bible reminds us it is more blessed to give 64 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: than to receive, and Christ demonstrated this for us by 65 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: giving his life for us. During this busy season, find 66 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,799 Speaker 1: simple ways to bless those who can't bless you back. 67 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 1: In doing that, you will shine the light of Jesus. 68 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 1: You will experience the true blessing of giving. The busyness 69 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: of the holidays can overwhelm you, so do your best 70 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: not to let it. When you keep Christ at the 71 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: center and remember this season is about people, not presence, 72 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: then you are laying a good foundation for shining light. 73 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: Let's pray, Heavenly Father, help me resist the rush of 74 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: the busy holiday season amid the anxiety of getting everything done, 75 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: all the preparations and just trying to make everything perfect. 76 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: Help me not to forget you or the people around me. 77 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: Remind me that my responsibility is to shine the light 78 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: of Christ first and care about people. Give me the 79 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 1: grace to never sacrifice getting something done for neglecting time 80 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: with others, showing kindness, or simply being loving towards other people. 81 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: That's why I ask you to help me keep my 82 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,479 Speaker 1: eyes on Jesus so I will always be ready to 83 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: show his love to others. Let me never be so 84 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: busy that I forget to shine the light of Christ 85 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: to those around me in Jesus name, Amen. Your Daily 86 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: Prayer is a production of Life Audio and Sale Media. 87 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 1: For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio 88 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: dot com. 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