As Thanksgiving has passed, I have noticed people in various stages of hanging Christmas lights and decorating for Christmas. As I have watched people climb onto the roofs of their houses to hang lights, haul boxes from their storage sheds, or buying decorations at the store, it has led me to ask myself if I am also preparing for Christmas. No, I don’t mean have I hung my lights, which I haven’t. I also don’t mean have we gotten out our Christmas tree, which we haven’t.
What I have been reflecting about is, “How do I prepare for Christmas?”.
I know that some people will not think of lights and trees in response to this question. Others will respond with Christmas shopping, making lists of gifts for various relatives and friends.
Still yet others will respond with baking for preparing food for various parties and get togethers throughout the Christmas season. Others will respond with stories of rehearsing for Christmas Cantatas at church, concerts at school, or sales at their businesses. These are legitimate preparations as well, but still not what I am talking about.
How do I get my heart in a place where I am ready to think deeply about the miracle that the King of the Universe left glory to become a man? Actually, to become an unborn baby? How do I prepare my mind to absorb and concentrate on the real reason for the season so that Christmas is a time of renewing my commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior as my gift to Jesus on His birthday? How do I prepare my soul to be still and content with what God has provided?
How do I prepare my senses to notice the things of God amongst all the glitter and glamour?
I don’t know what others will do to prepare for this, but one way I can do so is to get an Advent Devotional and spend some time, at the beginning of each day, reflecting on some aspect of the Christmas story.
Another way to prepare my heart for the Christmas holiday coming is to spend some time going through all of the stuff in my home and picking out some of the good stuff that I don’t use that often anymore and donating it to a homeless shelter, Center for Domestic Violence, or some other worthy charity. It makes room in my home, but also makes room in my heart.
After thinning the overwhelming flood of things I own, another way to prepare my heart for the Christmas season is to pull out a book that I have bought, but haven’t read and actually read it.
Maybe it is a CD of music for you, or a DVD movie you bought but haven’t watched. Perhaps it is a massager that you haven’t used or another gift that you deemed important enough not to donate but haven’t used it. Get it out and use it.
Another way that my family prepares our hearts for Christmas is to buy gifts for Angel Tree kids, provide shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, donate money to the Food Pantry, give toys to Toys for Tots, or some other means of giving to others so that I am reminded that Christmas isn’t my birthday, it is Jesus’ birthday.
While none of these suggestions may work for you, do something to ensure that we don’t fall into the trap that Christmas is merely a holiday from work, it is a Holy Day to worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I need to get ready for that even more than I would to see the president, king of England, or some Hollywood star. He is the Bright and Morning Star. He does not have 15 minutes of fame. He is eternally famous. Let’s prepare to meet Him and meet with others about Him at Christmas time.