Now that we’re getting into the seriously celebratory season of the year—WHO said that??? Just why IS it Primary Party Time around Thanksgiving and Christmas? Oh, my Glorious Father God! Open my eyes that I may celebrate every morning that I can come into the magnificent presence of my Savior! Dear Friends! We have a standing invitation to ALL God’s parties! What excitement! What exalted and precious privilege to be on the Father’s guest list! AND WE’LL NEVER BE CUT from His social register!

Don’t you just LOVE to go to a wedding where the couple and their families acknowledge and give praise to the benevolent Lord Who brought them all together in the first place? And to think, the first social event we know of in our Savior’s life was a wedding and the ensuing hoedown where He was the main player! In fact, it appears there wouldn’t have even been much of a reception had Christ not restocked the cellars with the best of potables!

 My point, which I fervently hope is not obscure, is that we don’t have little boxes in which we put the godly celebrations and the worldly wingdings! As Mama used to say (and if you read this column at all, you know Mama says a LOT of things), "would Jesus be welcome there?" Is "party time" not an element of the concerted stewardship of our lives? Sadly, many times earlier in my life, I do NOT remember Jesus sitting in the front seat of our old ’67 Pontiac LeMans as we headed out to yet another festivity with friends. My dearest longsuffering Lord, please remain uppermost in my life, so much a part of all that I think and feel and do that I can never again leave You at home, no matter where I go!

Of COURSE, we as Christians celebrate the countless blessings and graciousness of King Jesus at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but do we invite Him to every office party, every business or work-related reception, every cocktail party? C.H. Spurgeon, Prince of Preachers and one of my prime spiritual gurus, says it much better than I ever could:

As with every other aspect of stewardship I have attempted to examine this year, it is a matter of the heart—from our purse strings to our palates, our convictions to our conduct. Sometimes it is hard to see the Savior at a riotous birthday party full of frenetic and nearly maniacal preschoolers and their harried parents, but where might He rather be, than at a gathering of His precious little ones, so visible in the Scriptures and in His commandments and admonitions to us to emulate them in innocence and belief?

Amid the cheerfulness of household gatherings, it is easy to slide into sinful levities, and to forget our avowed character as Christians. It ought not to be so, but so it is, that our days of feasting are very seldom days of sanctified enjoyment, but too frequently degenerate into unhallowed mirth.

And Heaven knows, C.H. himself was not averse to a good meal, a fine port, and a tasty cigar—but what a spiritual giant! As with every other aspect of stewardship I have attempted to examine this year, it is a matter of the heart—from our pursestrings to our palates, our convictions to our conduct. Sometimes it is hard to see the Savior at a riotous birthday party full of frenetic and nearly maniacal preschoolers and their harried parents, but where might He rather be, than at a gathering of His precious little ones, so visible in the scriptures and in His commandments and admonitions to us to emulate them in innocence and belief?

Oh, my Holy Creator and Compassionate Father! That I might have blinders to the temptations and excesses of this world so to seek first only Thy Kingdom and Thy Righteousness! Let me walk proudly into every soiree and every sewing bee on the arm of my Redeemer as my Guest of Honor!