Merry Christmas!

During this time of year life can be a large racket. Presents must be bought and wrapped. Dinner must be made from recipes written in dear old Memaw’s shakey handwriting. And you can’t really tell if it’s gravy or butter that smeared the instructions on that recipe. But regardless you have to make it just like she did or there’ll be a riot. It’s the time of year for putting your best foot forward. Flaunt how blessed you are. Throw parties and give lots of gifts. Give to charity and give to the community. You have family and friends to celebrate with that you haven’t seen in a long time and you simply must see them all. The list of to-dos is a mile long and heaven forbid you get sick, as we are all prone to do during these cold winter months.

I’ve been thinking about the Lord in a different way than I do most of the year. During the Christmas season I become more reflective of our human condition compared to the stark contrast of God’s loving kindness in sending Jesus. The disparity of our world becomes more apparent this time of year, it seems. When your cards are maxed, your relatives are getting “too close”, sickness keeps you from gathering, or even the set expectation of being happy this time or year can make life more taxing than usual. But in the darkness God calls us into His glorious light. He invites us to sit at the feet of Jesus and be still. He invites you to come and see what He has done for you. God looked upon our human condition and showered us with love we did not deserve. He gave His only Son to run in this rat race with us, to get to know us better, and to ultimately die for us. Allow Jesus to abide with you in your heart this Christmas and allow His gift of love bring peace to your holiday season. Merry Christmas!

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬