This time of year we can get caught up in the busy-ness of the Christmas "spirit". We play our Christmas tunes...decorate our homes inside and out...make sure all of the proper ornaments are hung on the Christmas tree...sit around after all decorations are up...sipping our favorite hot drink...enjoying the evening as we basque in the splendor of all that we did to make our home "light up" with Christmas. We sigh and sip as we rest all comfy and cozy.
So Christmas is adorned with the decor. Some of us have that artistic touch to make our place lovely...some of us simply decorate knowing it is the "thing" to do. What is our personal life like? We know how to "dress up" on the outside...keeping up appearances. Our "tinsel" is hung beautifully...the lights that we "shine" on the outside look glitzy...our ornaments (memories) are carefully among us.
For some of us this is a difficult time of year. Memories of loved ones fill our souls...joyful years gone by...remembering special family gatherings...remembering how dad would dress as Santa...remembering that anticipation, waiting to see if your presents were those you especially wanted...waiting for loved ones to come "home"...spending time making favorite Christmas cookies...so many memories...Yes, Christmas is about cherished memories...
A memory for Father is gifting us His son...He will always remember that first Christmas...and prior as He sent the angel Gabriel to tell Mary she would birth our Savior. What a shocker for a young virgin who was engaged to Joseph. I can't begin to imagine her thoughts. Joseph and she had to go to his birth town for a census. The travel was tiresome for this pregnant young lady. Who knows if she really had a donkey to ride or if she simply had to walk...in her last tri-mester. What a sincere pain to carry a heavy, near term baby inside.
When they arrived in Bethlehem there was no room for them anywhere. Possibly in that day the place they hoped to stay was with relatives as the houses were made to hold many guests in different rooms. Possibly it was a relative that told them there was no room in the house and that they could stay in the stable. At least it was a roof over their heads. So, they opted to stay in the stable.
The decor in the stable was not beautiful. The smell was not that of pine or home baked goodies. It was a stall to house animals...not really a pleasant odor. When Jesus was born, it was in a house of animals. It didn't smell of that sweet baby scent of talcum powder and baby shampoo. Perhaps then His relatives had time to visit the new babe. They stepped out to be with Him and welcome Him.This was our King! Our Savior! This baby was our Messiah!
Back to the now...what is it you adorn yourself with? Do you have the light of Jesus inside that shines to the outside? Do you have the smell of the stable inside that comes out...you have a scent about you that isn't godly...you're more "true to yourself"...Are you "busting at the seems" with everything but God in your life...your "home" has no room for Him so you tell Him there is a place He can go...when you need Him you will call on Him..."visit" Him...Do you sit back conversing with Him often...enjoying His company...taking in His splendor...fully absorbing Him so that you can go about your life after time with Him and carry His song in your heart and soul so that you can share it with others?
My hope is that you have the latter in your life...that you basque in Him...you worship Him...you sing praises to Him...you thank Him for even the little things in life...that you fully absorb Him.
All glory to Jesus! Raise a Hallelujah!
Luke 1:46-47:
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
No comments:
Post a Comment