The Tribune

By REV ANGELA C BOSFIELD PALACIOUS

What do you consider your treasured possessions? Are they family heirlooms passed on from one generation to another? Are they items on which you have spent life savings? Are they memorabilia that has been personally autographed just for you? Are they things like photo albums and scrapbooks filled with family memories?

When it comes to people, who are some of your favourite people? Are they your closest relatives, lifelong friends, childhood companions, teachers or adult mentors? Do you have international musicians, movie stars or local athletes like the late Thomas Robinson who helped to put us on the world map?

The prophet Malachi speaks about our need to fear the Lord and honour His name: “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty,” in the day when I make up my treasured possession” (Malachi 3:17). Each of us is special and precious to God, but at some point we have to consider God as special to us.

The Advent season offers us the opportunity to do several things before Christmas:

1. To review our life journey up to this point and determine whether we can be pleased with the direction in which we are headed.

2. To recognise that we all need a Saviour to save us from innate selfishness and sinfulness.

3. To prepare our hearts to receive the baby Jesus as our newborn King.

4. To respond to the invitation to make Jesus our Lord.

5. To agree for the Holy Spirit to be our Guide and Counsellor.

6. To develop a lifestyle of worship, work and witness.

7. To consider the themes of heaven, hell, death and judgment and our beliefs concerning each.

If our priorities are not of eternal significance, then now is a great time to examine our treasured possessions and categorize them according to their worth and value in the eyes of God. Plan to focus on people, places and things and determine the effects that they have on us. Cultivate a spirit of Christmas: love, giving and godly living:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:19-21).

• Rev Angela Palacious, a motivational speaker and author of several devotional books, is an Anglican priest. She may be contacted at 393-9000 or by e-mail at angelapalacious@gmail.com.