'Tis the Season

This is the season of expectation. I've been wrapping my mind around that word, EXPECTATION, for several weeks now. It can apply to so many areas in our lives. Expectations of your marriage, expectations for your career, expectations of a contract, expecting people to have the same views and same perspectives you do. It's a big word to wrap your mind around. But this season of expectation stems from that feeling of knowing something good is coming.

It's also a season of busy-ness, fear, frustration, depression, stress, short tempers, etc. I can tell you from personal experience that I've dealt with people representing those characteristics just this past week. I've heard short tempers flare. I've had people in my office, frustrated with the details of the season. I've heard tears from people suffering with depression. I've heard from people who are afraid they won't be able to accomplish everything on their list, and are even more afraid of how they'll pay for it if they do! Checklists, frantic shoppers, heavy traffic, short tempers, no time, full calendars. This describes an American's Christmas.

Two nights ago, we took care of our neighbor while his family dealt with a health issue. Our neighbor is 9. While coming home from Abby's gymnastics, with all 3 kids in the car, I decided to take them to see Christmas lights. Of course, we had to go and see my kids' favorite house--the Kulez' house (Ben says it looks like the sun). On our way there, I took them through several neighborhoods that had huge homes & gorgeous lights. Places that would be more than we could ever afford. I have to admit...that was where my focus was...the money, the expensive details of the house, the beautiful landscaping, the electric bills they must have.

One of the homes had nothing but a lighted Nativity scene out front. As we passed it, my 9 year old, unchurched neighbor spoke up from the back seat and said, "You know, I think that the Baby Jesus invented Christmas." In that moment, he wasn't impressed by the lights or the homes or the neighborhood. He was amazed at the Baby Jesus. He knew that in the midst of all of the lights, presents, and other hoopla, Jesus was at the center of this season.

It was in that moment that my whole Christmas season came into focus again--this time with the right focal point. Until we've stopped to worship the Baby Jesus, the rest is meaningless. So, if you haven't had that moment of simple faith and obedience this year, STOP. Kneel at the manger. Worship the baby--the Saviour of the world! It's simple, it's peaceful, it restores joy. But most of all, it overwhelms us with how unimportant our lists are in comparison to the fact that the Saviour of the world came into this broken world to live with us, model for us, love us, grace us and die for us! I'm so grateful for the words of that 9 year old boy.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.