‘Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. ‘ Romans 13:8(NLT)
‘“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’’ Luke 14:28-30(NLT)
‘The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.’ Psalms 37:21(NLT)
‘For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!’ Isaiah 9:6-7(NLT)
At Awesome Marriage we talk about finances a lot because couples struggle with finances a lot. During the Christmas season these struggles can ramp up to extreme proportions. If you don’t have a plan for your finances, it is likely they will get out of hand at Christmas. You will find yourself arguing with your spouse and spending more than you wanted, and this can cast a dark cloud over the entire season.
It is so easy to get caught up in what others are doing at Christmas. Even if our intentions are pure, this does not necessarily set the stage for good decisions. Let’s look at some steps that can make a difference for your marriage this year.
- Christmas is really about one thing: celebrating the birth of Jesus. The fact that God loved us more than enough to send His son into this sin-filled world to redeem us is something we can never celebrate enough! If we keep this as the center of what we do, other things fall into place more easily. Start by asking for His guidance together.
- Set aside time to sit down together and make a responsible budget for Christmas spending. Don’t go into debt. Your Christmas budget and what you decide to spend have to be the same or less. Make this budget before you look at anybody’s Christmas list or plan any Christmas gatherings. Once you have agreed on the amount you will spend, you can decide where you will spend.
- Be creative. Some of the best gifts we have ever received cost the giver almost nothing but time and creativity. Yet, many of these are the gifts we have truly cherished over the years.
- Don’t be afraid to go countercultural. You may decide to spend your budget on helping others. You may decide to spend part of the season serving others. You may decide to help those who really are in need. The point is this: When you put Christ first as a couple, He may lead you to a celebration you never imagined and I promise you will have an Awesome Marriage Christmas!
Today’s Challenge:
Take time with your spouse to pray about your finances for the Christmas season. Ask God to give you wisdom as you plan. Now, what is your next step?
Going Deeper:
Now that you have a plan for your finances, ask God to show you other things you can do during the Christmas season as a couple to serve Him and reach out to others.
from An Awesome Marriage Christmas by Dr. Kim Kimberling