Holiness in our Holidays

Holiness in our Holidays

This time of year is special - Morning coffee with my Bible is next to our Christmas tree, and for a little while, all seems well with the world.  I have been listening to Christmas carols for a while now … by the way, have you ever paid attention to the words of Joy to the World?  Like what it means for ‘our hearts to prepare him room’?  Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
 Let earth receive her King;
 let every heart prepare Him room,
 and Heaven and nature sing.  While Heaven and nature will sing about the birth of the Lord, I am convinced there is some heart preparation we ought do in anticipation of the celebration of our King. Otherwise, Christmas day will arrive and we might feel we just somehow missed it. You know, Christians celebrate two comings of Jesus Christ—the one when he came to earth as a baby in a manger, grew to be a man, and died for us.  Then the second coming . . . when he will come for us in the clouds. 

Huh, today is one of those spectacularly, moody Southern California days with skies hosting an array of every type clouds, those partially outlined with silver, set against blue skies in one direction, and then dark gray skies looking to the east where rain is promising.  Jesus could come back today you know—splitting the clouds in glory like Paul talked about in 1 Thessalonians chapter four.¹

Just a few days ago, our thoughts were filled with giving thanks; whether or not we spoke them aloud, we endeavored to count our blessings.  And then, as we turned just one calendar page, we were launched into ‘the season’.  Our pace quickened—so much to be done!  There is the Tree to put up, the presents to buy, work to close out the year, baking to be done, cards to be written and sent… who has time to make room for Jesus?  To which I say, we do, and we must!  

There is a practical reason Thanksgiving always precedes Christmas—it sets in motion the ideal mental attitude to carry us through the weeks in between.  See, when we sustain a spirit of gratitude in these weeks, Christmas is a celebration, and not just a marathon!²  As we anticipate our Lord’s birth, let’s purpose to maintain hearts and minds filled with gratitude.  When we choose to be thankful, it changes us-

Some of the prayers of believers of years gone by provide us with wonderful focus:

Eternal God, my sovereign Lord, I acknowledge all I am, all I have is yours. Give me such a sense of your infinite goodness that I may return to you all possible love and obedience.³

And his mama:  I thank you, O God, for the relief and satisfaction of mind that come with the firm assurance that you govern the world; for the patience and resignation to your providence that are afforded as I reflect that even the tumultuous and irregular actions of the sinful are, nevertheless, under your direction, who are wise, good, and omnipotent, and have promised to make all things work together for good to those who love you.⁴

And I close with, "Across the world now, Lord God, we lock arms and pray to you, O Lord, maker of Heaven and earth. While much is uncertain on a daily basis, we know who holds the future, and we know who holds our hand.

We look to You, O God, and lift our hearts in thankfulness to our great God.

Daily, we underestimate your power, and we often fail to note how you are working around us ... yet we thank you, Lord, that you would choose to involve us in your work; we thank you that indeed you cause all to work together for good to those who love you.⁵

Thank you for life and breath and strength--we offer ourselves to you this day, and indeed this holiday season.  May we be about your purposes, to make this a holiday filled with holiness – may we be holy even as you are holy!⁶  May we choose to maintain thankfulness in our hearts, even as our hearts and minds get busy with holiday ‘doings’.  O God, thank you that it was in your plan from the beginning to give us Jesus, born to us in a manger." Amen and Amen.

Christine

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