All I Want For Christmas

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God"- Ephesian 2:8 (NIV).

The Christmas rush is on. The stress for me isn't about the money, though money is a close second, the stress comes from trying to figure out what to buy for each of my loved ones. I want the gift to be practical, desired, and fairly priced. The trouble is I don't know what's in the heart of others unless they confide in me. Then I have those who say, "I don't give hints. I want to see what others will gift me with." They just don't realize the pressure that creates. As kids, we made lists for our parents, as did my children. Of course, children aren't shy about letting you know what they want. We don't have to make lists for God. God knows our heart and is aware of our desires. His gifts are always practical, desired, and price is no obstacle for the Creator of all things. He doesn't ask for lists from His children; He asks for faith. Our prayer should be for more faith, just as His followers did in Luke 17:5: "The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!."" It's a double gift actually, because with faith comes the gift of grace. I'll make a list for my loved ones this Christmas; they don't know my heart. But to the Lord, Who does, I'll pray that all I want for Christmas is increased faith.