Skip to main content

Preparation

             This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)

 

            Yesterday was the first Sunday in Advent. I didn’t grow up with this ritual. It was basically introduced to me when I started snowbirding. This year, it seems to be taking a stronger hold. According to Zondervan Press,

[it] is a time of preparation, not for the extra expenses or family gatherings, but to remember the Christ child who came to live among us to secure our redemption. It is a time to pause and cherish God. Advent is also the anticipation of Christ’s return at the Second Coming.’

                I even went so far as to purchase the book, The Advent Project from which I took that quote. It’s a devotional, with reflection questions for each day. I especially relate to the third question for December 1 (yes, I’m already behind!) It has to do with whether I feel harried or overwhelmed by the approaching holiday. Ha! I work in retail! And truth told, most of my stress doesn’t have to do specifically with the holiday, but it crowds out Christmas. The follow up question harkens back to what I said not long ago about making this Christmas different. How can I carve out time for reflection – or for that which will give me joy this Christmas?

                I don’t have a good answer to that because it seems as if anything I try to do will just add to the insanity. One “not so bad” answer is that as I work on clearing the physical clutter, that I listen to Christmas music or podcasts that will feed my soul and turn my heart heavenward. But at this point, your reading what I’m going to try isn’t useful to you – what are you going to do?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more