HomeWord - Dec. 16, 2009
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- 2009 Dec 16
Christmas: When Your Heart Grows Three Sizes
This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. —Ezekiel 36:26
In Dr. Seuss' classic Christmas tale, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch suffers from having a small heart. The source of his heart problem is his lack of understanding the meaning of Christmas. As the story goes, the Grinch tries to put a stop to Christmas, but in the end, he comes to understand what Christmas is all about and his heart grows three sizes! This heart change makes a big difference in his life.
I'm not sure what Dr. Seuss' intentions were when he wrote the story back in 1957, but it certainly comes across as a Christian parable to me that parallels the change that takes place in a person's life when he or she comes to understand the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus, God's Son, who was born to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). When the light of the Good News of Jesus dawns upon the heart of a person, God replaces the old heart of stone, with a new, fleshy heart - and a new person emerges. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
"Welcome Christmas - While we stand - Heart to heart - And hand in hand."[1]
It might just make all the difference in the world.
O Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in;
Be born in us today!
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!
(from O Little Town of Bethlehem)
We celebrate Christmas because of the power Jesus brought to change our hearts.
GOING DEEPER:
- Give an example of a time when you changed your mind about something.
- How did the words or action of others influence your change of heart?
- Towards the end of the story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, what happened that caused the Grinch to change his mind about Christmas?
- How has understanding the true meaning of Christmas made a difference in your life?
FAMILY TIME:
Gather your family together and watch the classic half-hour Christmas cartoon, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Then, using the content above, lead your family in a discussion about how Jesus has the power to change our hearts.
[1] How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Copyright © 1957, Dr. Seuss.
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