Another Advent, another Christmas in the books. For the record, we had a great one, since all our children came home. That pretty much assures that despite the chaos, mess, busyness, procrastination, and disorganization (by yours truly), this is one happy mama. With children home, it may not be a "Silent Night," but it will be a sweet and treasured night.
Thank You, Lord, for the gift of family. And thank You that You came and You come even in the frenzy and the imperfect.
But let me just say that our Advent had plenty of hiccups. As usual, my high (unrealistic) expectations for having meaningful family devotions every night, lighting the Advent wreath candle every week, and staying fixed on Jesus and focused His Word every day...well uh, not so much. My husband coming down with the flu a little over a week before Christmas pretty much shot down all my happy, holy resolutions of preparing for and savoring the perfect Christmas...which, let's face it, doesn't exist.
Yet despite all the missteps, sporadic bad attitudes, occasional pity parties--"If I get the flu, none of the children will come home and Christmas will be terrible, sad, lonely, awful..."--last minute gift deliveries, and missed (though desperately needed) times alone with God in His Word, somehow despite all that, Christmas came as a beautiful gift from the Lord. A time to treasure the Gift of all gifts and to celebrate the coming of that Gift with those we love dearly. What an example in full living color of His glorious grace despite us--His wandering, silly, and often downright stupid little sheep.
Thank You, Father, thank You.
And now it's the day after Christmas. Rather than being sad that it's all over, let's choose to celebrate that it happened. That once again we got to remember and rejoice in the Gift of the infant Savior. And that today, when we can finally catch our breath, we can pause to remember and reflect upon the wonder of the Gift, the greatness of the Giver, and the hope of His return.
For many friends, I know this has been an especially hard Christmas with someone they love very dearly no longer sitting at their table. I well remember my own mama's sudden and totally unexpected homegoing to heaven right before Christmas nearly 20 years ago. But I also remember the tender grace, love, and compassion of my Heavenly Father in that time as well. He carried us day by day in those difficult days, and we felt His nearness.
For them and for us all, I share Scotty Smith's prayer for this day after Christmas:
"Father, my prayer today is for all of us, no matter what yesterday was like. For even our best days are in need of the gospel, and none of our worst days are beyond the reach of the gospel. When the shepherds left Jesus' manger, they were still shepherds. They still couldn't worship at the temple; they still couldn't give testimony in a court of law; they still were stereotyped as thieves by many in their community. And we shouldn't romanticize what Joseph and Mary did the day after Jesus was born, as though all of a sudden a five-star inn in Bethlehem did open up, as though Mary's body would have been spared all the normal chaos and pain of birthing and afterbirth, and as though angels would've started showing up as round-the-clock nurses.
Father, thank You that we're Christians, not Gnostics. We don't have to pretend about anything. Christmas isn't a season in which we're supposed to be transported into a super-spirituality, rising about reality. The gospel isn't about denial but is about learning to delight in You, no matter what is going on. We praise You that Jesus came into a real world where everything is broken, but He did come to make all things new, starting with us.
Please give each of us the special and the common grace You gave the shepherds. Let us hear and let us see more of Jesus, even if we remain 'shepherds' the rest of our lives. Enable us to glorify and praise You, Father, for You are not a man, that You would life about anything. Everything You have told us in Your Word will come to pass. This is good news for shepherds and kings alike."
Yes, Lord, yes. In the days and months ahead, keep us grateful and worshipful. Help us to stay fixed on You, to repent quickly, and to remain dependent upon Your grace. Might this be a year of loving You, loving others, and living by the power of Your gospel--whether we're feeling like lowly shepherds or mighty kings. In Jesus' glorious and gracious name. Amen.
To God be the glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment