We’ve started getting Christmas cards.  I remember one year we got our first Christmas card before Thanksgiving.  My first thought was somebody is either seriously under-challenged — like you need more to do — or seriously, over-organized — like you probably even bought this cards on sale last year. 

But my second thought was, “Wow that’s kind of cool.  I made it on somebody’s Christmas card list.  See here’s what people do when they are sending Christmas cards:  First they evaluate their relational world.   Then they form a list, the people they want to encourage and bless by sending a card, people with whom they have a friendship, or want to start a friendship all make the list.  So when you receive one of those Christmas cards,  that means that you made somebody’s list — someone’s friendship list

So every time you get a Christmas card — even if it’s mass produced and has nothing more than a name — tell God thank you for friends.

BUT LET ME TAKE IT ANOTHER STEP:  before you put that card in the Christmas card basket. i want you to hold it for just a moment and say this, “Christmas means that I’m on God’s friendship list.”  If you have opened your heart up to Jesus, then he considers you his friend.  In John 15:12-17 Jesus said,

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are my friends… If you follow my ways… no longer do I call you servants, but I call you my friend.

You are on God’s friendship list.  Do you know what that means? The best human friend you have is flawed.  We try but we don’t always measure up.  But if you are on God’s friendship list, you have a friend who will never fail.  You have a friend who will tell you the truth but never reject you.  You have a friend who will always understand, who will always have time, who will come alongside you when you feel overwhelmed.

Some of you are heading into this Christmas season…and you feel overwhelmed.  For a variety of reasons you think that there is no way that you will get this Christmas right.  Because you have been unfriended by death, or divorce, or a misunderstanding, or a hurt.  Every time you get or send or just look at a Christmas card, remember, you are not alone.  You are on God’s friendship list.  That’s what Christmas is all about.