Prepare!

I was recently reading a devotion on a man who almost missed Christmas. Expecting a current day story of someone, I was surprised to find the focus on Joseph, Mary’s husband-to-be. As a God-fearing man, Joseph had every lawful right to turn Mary away. But if he had allowed the traditions of the law to overcome his love for Mary, he would have missed that very first Christmas, and the coming of the Christ Child ... as well as ALL that God had for him in the years to follow, as his earthly father.

As we get caught up in trying to 'think and plan' through the season, I wonder how many of our ‘traditions’ are actually causing us to MISS Christmas. Ironic, isn't it?! As we deck the halls and buy the presents and bake the cookies, if this is what it’s about, then why are we exhausted and cranky?! These weeks fly past so fast only to be greeted with the ‘holiday let down’ in the weeks to follow. Seems like there should be more to come out of all the prep, doesn’t it?!!

How DID Christmas get so complicated? I’m pretty sure Jesus was never surrounded by bows of holly and fancy treats. Remembering the story, He came to us in a cold, dark barn with no smells of gingerbread or peppermint ... I’m actually encouraged by this revelation because right now, my house looks like a bunch of animals live here!! But you know, the condition of our home or heart is never clean enough BEFORE He arrives ... He did not come for those who have it all together ... He came to do the cleaning and restoring, Himself ... I imagine that manger was pretty dirty and stinky before it became a throne ...

It is Christ who changes everything.

It’s a scary thing to put aside traditions and ignore those screaming ‘to do’ lists. But much like Joseph and Mary were asked to do that silent night years ago, all we are really asked to do in this season is to RECEIVE HIM!! He does not require ceremony or decoration ... He just needs a place to lay His head. We have an enemy who would love for us to miss Him ... and to keep it complicated, he distracts us with things that 'seem' to be of the right heart. Wanting the house to be 'decked out' and all ready for family to come SEEMS right ... but even if we are able to get it all done, if what we do is not in preparation for Jesus, it will ultimately disappoint ... our family needs to see the Light of the World, not the artificial lights on the tree ... our hearts are designed to receive Him, and Him alone ... nothing else will fill.

Much like Joseph, we find ourselves with a choice: the love of our traditions, or our love of Him. Is there room in our hearts for Jesus, this season? Or, just the Inn Keepers of old, will we turn Him away because there is there no more room? Imagine what all those Inn Keepers missed that night!! Imagine what Joseph would have missed if he had stayed with what he had known and been taught all his life? Don’t miss that it is a choice. I encourage you to not miss another day of a true ‘season of preparation’ ... open your heart and RECEIVE all that Jesus has come to be!!

OUR KING IS COMING!!! PREPARE YE THE WAY!!!





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