10 Days Till Christmas
Ten days till Christmas and I work the next 9 of them, till midnight. Somehow, unbeknown to me, I have become part of the "retailism" that has replaced Christmas. Unfortunately, because I have the joy of staying home with my son during the day, and money has an illusive quality about it, I work during the evenings. I also have realized that I dislike secular Christmas music, because this is all I hear at work-no Angels We have Heard on High, or Little town of Bethlehem, or We Three Kings. Not even Little Drummer Boy! Instead I get Frosty, chestnuts roasting, and dreams of a white Christmas. Last night I was even told via song that Christmas couldn't come unless it snowed...and while I was picking up an item tossed into the wrong bin by a customer to busy shopping to realize that some other person was going to have to march that item across the store at 11:15 pm, I had this epiphany...
Today John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask them, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? (Lk 7: 20)
Somehow we are always looking for the "real deal" the "best deal" the thing that is going to deliver the biggest bang. I can almost imagine someone coming up to me and asking, "is this the best shoe for the Christmas party or should I look for another pair?" and then rush off frantically trying to make sure the ones they want don't get snatched up. We are looking for more, or as a great professor once said, "we are looking for THE MORE."
SLOW DOWN.
We are preparing to enter the stable, the birth place of the Savior, we do not want to come crashing in, berating the tiny child with questions and then rush away to check the next stable down. Sometimes, I am looking for Jesus so hard I pass Him by in my rush. Sometimes, I am not looking for Him, and I miss even noticing He was there.
"Oh God let us be a generation that seeks, that seeks your face of God of Jacob"
Jesus is the one for whom we are looking. He has the best bargains, steals, and gifts that anyone could dream of receiving this Christmas.
So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. (Luke 7:22)
This year we can receive eyes that can see Jesus in everyone we meet, even the nasty rude customers who you are certain lighting should strike, we can receive strength in our legs to keep going-serving our families, our co-workers, our friends, healthy doses of love and truth, we can receive forgiveness for our sins-a new year's resolution that sticks, ears that hear God, life in our deadened hearts that have been wounded, and Good News,--that although we are poor in time, patience, energy, love, forgiveness or even money, the God is rich in all of these gifts, and they are gifts He desires to give us this Christmas morning.
Ten days is not long to prepare my heart for all of this, but I am praying that the sacrifice of sleep that I will be offering will help me slow down enough that when I ask Jesus, "Are you who I am looking for?" I will be tired enough to stick around to hear His answer.
Today John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask them, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? (Lk 7: 20)
Somehow we are always looking for the "real deal" the "best deal" the thing that is going to deliver the biggest bang. I can almost imagine someone coming up to me and asking, "is this the best shoe for the Christmas party or should I look for another pair?" and then rush off frantically trying to make sure the ones they want don't get snatched up. We are looking for more, or as a great professor once said, "we are looking for THE MORE."
SLOW DOWN.
We are preparing to enter the stable, the birth place of the Savior, we do not want to come crashing in, berating the tiny child with questions and then rush away to check the next stable down. Sometimes, I am looking for Jesus so hard I pass Him by in my rush. Sometimes, I am not looking for Him, and I miss even noticing He was there.
"Oh God let us be a generation that seeks, that seeks your face of God of Jacob"
Jesus is the one for whom we are looking. He has the best bargains, steals, and gifts that anyone could dream of receiving this Christmas.
So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. (Luke 7:22)
This year we can receive eyes that can see Jesus in everyone we meet, even the nasty rude customers who you are certain lighting should strike, we can receive strength in our legs to keep going-serving our families, our co-workers, our friends, healthy doses of love and truth, we can receive forgiveness for our sins-a new year's resolution that sticks, ears that hear God, life in our deadened hearts that have been wounded, and Good News,--that although we are poor in time, patience, energy, love, forgiveness or even money, the God is rich in all of these gifts, and they are gifts He desires to give us this Christmas morning.
Ten days is not long to prepare my heart for all of this, but I am praying that the sacrifice of sleep that I will be offering will help me slow down enough that when I ask Jesus, "Are you who I am looking for?" I will be tired enough to stick around to hear His answer.
amen sister!
ReplyDeleteWell, I do hope that the "lighting" that strikes someone is still in warranty. Other than that well said baby. I too abhor what the corporates are doing to Christmas. Why can they not say Merry Christmas or have songs in thier stores that mention the our savior or God. They sure have no problem stealing the music that accompanies these words... But then, what would Christmas be to them if there was no money in it...
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