Is Jesus Enough?

It's Christmas time again, and what a blessed time of year this is.  As I type this I am sitting next to a beautifully decorated tree, complete with a bundle of perfectly wrapped gifts below, all compliments of my wonderful wife's labor of love for her family. It's Friday evening and so that means that already I am going into "game mode" for Sunday worship with my wonderful church family, my oldest son has just place today's figurine on his advent calendar marking 3 nights until Christmas, and deep inside there is a nagging question weighing on my soul, "Is Jesus Enough?"   Earlier today I had to run a couple of errands and I observed the congested parking lots of the retail establishments, listened to the frustrated shoppers tell their "war stories", and talked with people about their plans for celebrating the Savior's birth.  And I wondered inside if I had none of the typical seasonal cheer, no Christmas dinner, no decorations, no gifts, and no parties to attend, "would Jesus be enough?"  

So often we talk about trusting in Christ as the All-Sufficient Savior, claiming to believe what Colossians tells us about Him being our "All in all", yet I'm afraid that our actions at Christmas and throughout the year betray our practical atheism.  I am afraid that too often  in my own life and in the lives of the people I know and love, Jesus really isn't enough to satisfy our longings.  Not because He lacks anything, but because we lack a proper view of Him.  Christmas (or life in general) is only complete if we have family around us, material things that suit us, activities that please us, a gratifying program of dinner (and don't forget Santa) and Jesus on the side just to give life that little hint of religion in case we ever get in a bind.  How disgusting this must be to a Holy God Who gave up His only Son to be born and to die!  In thinking through this I hope that someone in reading this will be challenged about how they think and act regarding Jesus this Christmas season that He might truly be their All and in All!

Here are some questions by which we may know if Jesus is enough for us:

1) Do we think of His glory being advanced in our daily lives?

2) How do we treat His Word in our personal lives?

3) What does it take to sidetrack us from a life focused on Him?

4) What things drive us to Him (i.e. trials, emotions, His Word, etc.)? 

5)  How do we treat His body (does church/His people have priority in our lives or will we miss corporate worship for any little thing?)?

6) Do you hunger for His likeness in your life?

7) Are you grieved by the answers you find in your life to questions like these?

May you always and only be satisfied in Jesus!