In reading the blog yesterday, I
was convicted about the overwhelming amount of expectation I bring upon myself and
others EVERY Christmas season. Despite
unmet expectations every year, I never fail to eagerly await the perfect family
get together where every family member shows up and gets along. I create a goal for myself to top last year’s
giving and come up with more creative and more personal gifts for all of my
friends and family. And on top of this
unattainable list of criteria I have for the holiday season, I somehow expect
my heart to be totally in tune with the message and meaning of the season all
the while – deeply experiencing and understanding the implications of the birth
of our Savior.
Yet,
I am learning and realizing for the first time this Christmas that these
expectations do not reflect the true meaning of Christmas no matter how I look
at them. I believe our Father’s
intention behind celebrating Christmas every year was to remind us of the
humble nature in which Christ entered this world. The King of this world was born in a stable
and because of their faith that He would soon be revealed as the Savior of the
world, others came from afar to be present before the throne of the Lord and to
worship.
So
really, our expectations and extra-long to-do lists every Christmas only
distract us from the meaning and purpose of Christmas. What a joy it should be that Christmas is a
holiday that spans over the course of a month!
Unfortunately, this has the potential to bring stress in so many ways…so
much to do in so little time. The length
of a month brings the idea that the time has to be filled with more buying,
more baking, more celebrating, MORE, MORE, MORE! However, the Lord simply calls us to come
before Him on bended knee and worship.
This Christmas, I have felt the challenge to call upon the Lord in
desiring to battle how the world defines the Christmas season and simply
worship Him more whole-heartedly. I am
desiring to spend some of the time I used in the past to create such elaborate
gifts as time spent before Him in prayer and worship. I am desiring to be thankful for the grace
that is poured out for me everyday and show that same grace to others that will
at some point fail to meet my unrealistic expectations.
So
I challenge you who are reading this as well to consider what it is that may be
a distraction to you every Christmas season? A desire to give the perfect
gifts? Or to receive them? Picture perfect time with family and
friends? Whatever the distraction may
be, let us cling to the freedom that we do not have to earn the love of Christ
or prove anything to our own loved ones.
Christmas is a time for humility and simplicity as counter-cultural as
that might seem. Let us take this time
to slow down (even be still), give more intentionally of our time and
resources, and focus our hearts on the reality that Christmas marks the
beginning to the unveiling of a promised Savior.
Here
is a passage from Isaiah 12 titled a “Song of Praise” that reminds me of who
our God is and what our response should be to the fact that He is God.
“I
will praise you, O Lord. Although you
were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and
not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my
salvation. With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation. In that day
you will say: give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the
nations what he has done and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious
things; let this be known to all the world.
Shout along and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One
of Israel among you.”
My name is Rachel and I am a
nursing student at ODU.Christmas has
always been my favorite time of year because of the way it brings families
together no matter how scattered they may be throughout the year.My family’s Christmas traditions look very
similar to others I’m sure as far as decorating the tree, baking cookies, and
getting together with extended family.But I just love that it is a time of year so rich in tradition yet there
is a newness and freshness to the season every time it comes around!
