May you hear his voice today....
I don't know about you - but sometimes the Christmas joy can fly right out the door as you are shopping for that perfect present - the lines are long, traffic crazy, heck, people a little crazy, and what you ordered isn't the right thing, or it was supposed to be ready for pick up days ago and is still not ready - ok maybe those are all experience with me and I need a reminding that the true meaning of Christmas so easily gets pushed aside in the hustle and bustle of the busyness of the season. Why do we stress ourselves out over trivial things during this time of year - sorry, Im thinking out loud here.
It's Christmas morning. Lets be still. Let us rejoice in this babies birth. Let us forget about all the stressful days that brought us to this one, and let us just sit at the feet of Jesus and take it all in. It's hard to be quiet and just listen sometimes isn't it? But it's my favorite moments and also the ones that keep me sane. Blur out the busy world and focus, even if for a minute, on what is truly important today. Be full of gratitude in this moment.
Think about the Christmas story. Truly, a teenager, a virgin teenager, Mary, birthing the Savior of the world in a stable and lying him in a feeding trough - nothing majestic here it would seem, yet it makes sense that this birth would be so humble.
God doesn't always show up how we think he will in our lives with trumpets blowing as "the sign" he has arrived. His thoughts are above ours, and as much as we want to fully understand everything, sometimes we just have to be ok with the fact that we don't.
I don't know why bad happens to good people. I don't know a lot of things - but I know that God is good, always. And faith reigns above human understanding.
I love thinking of Mary and how the bible says about her that she "kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often." She must have pondered on the wonders of it all - from the promise of a savior of the world, to this baby lying before her, to the responsibility of it all, to what his life truly would mean for all mankind... Mary kept these things in her heart, and as a mom, I know she had to be so proud and yet in awe.
I know sometimes life is difficult. There are struggles. Things didn't turn out how you wanted them to. I'm sure Mary had doubts too, yet she believed - her faith remained strong. Maybe there's nothing joyous at your house, not even on Christmas day. Your parents aren't together. You feel alone. Lost. Hopeless maybe? But there is a savior of the world that was born as what seemed like a helpless infant, yet he's the same one who brought the world into existence, and the same one that is ever near when you call out his majestic name, JESUS.
It's days like this that we need reminding that no Christmas present, or noTHING or no ONE could ever compare to the treasure found in him and knowing him. Free of guilt, sin and condemnation. He is a healer, a provider, a giver of peace and joy. Giver of eternal life and forgiveness of everything you have ever done, yes everything. He is all around if you only will open your eyes to see and your ears to hear.
My hope for you this Christmas day is that you hear him. You feel him. You quiet yourself, even if for a few minutes of your day and reflect on the beauty and awesomeness of this day and what it represents. Ask and the door shall be opened. Seek and you shall find.
