Bless’em !

As Christmas approaches, folks are beginning to talk the lingo, with words of the season such as, trees, presents, wish list and Santa Claus.    Have you noticed the shift from ‘Merry Christmas’, to ‘Happy Holidays’.  It is even becoming  ‘politically correct’ among many.    Although it may look pretty splashed across our Christmas cards, I believe Jesus came for…. more.  (do I hear a hardy AMEN! )

We tend to wrap our ‘happiness’ around the external – possessions, position.   The concept that we know today for ‘happy’ is not actually found in the New Testament.  The word happy comes from ‘hap’ which means  ‘luck or favorable circumstances’.  Now remove the modern perspective of this, and see what really is intended.

 Happy ~ blessed! Makarios!  ‘The state of one who has become a partaker of God, to experience the fullness of God.’ *    We find this expressed in Matthew 5, in the sermon on the Mount, from Jesus’ own lips.   ‘Blessed is he…..’  He goes on to explain, all that is intended for those who are aware of their need for God, this leads to mourning over our own spiritual condition, thus we are open, hungering and thirsting  for HIM.  Blessed are those who step into that arena, and find and experience HIM.

This season, as we stand in the line for the cashier, or walking in the halls of our children’s school, or merely waving at a neighbor, may I offer ~ that we  bypass the attempt at their ‘happiness’, by flippantly saying ‘Happy Holidays’ and  be so bold  to  make the statement of blessing … and take it a step further  “blessed Christmas!” speak over them the prayer that they too would experience the fullness of HIM.  Bless’em!  They won’t even know what hit them!

Have a God-loving, partaking of Him, and passing it on – week!

In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4, You thrill me, LORD!)

* Definition: Makarios  by Bill Klien – Professor of Biblical Greek  at  Masters Graduate School of Divinity