My infinitesimally small and narrow mind could never have imagined the Advent of Jesus.
From the manger where YOU were born, to the angels heralding your birth-announcement to SHEPHERDS (Seriously!?!- of all people!!! they didn’t reach the bottom rung of the social ladder!!!), to parents poor and of low estate… ?
To have God the Son leave the side of God-the-Father in Heaven, set aside His rights as God, and become a servant (Phil 2:5-11)… ?
To know before emptying the throne at the right side of the Father that You would have to die a criminal’s death, yet still come to earth… ?
The whole PLAN, God, totally shatters the way I WOULD HAVE DONE IT (smile).
Even though Your ways are marvelous and mysterious….
“They are music to our ears (David Mathis);” because the unexpected of the expected means that the gospel is for us ALL (not just a select few; the ridiculously rich; or polluted, powerful politicians; or the wisest of the wise).
Your whole arrangement, Lord, is what makes the Christmas story so meaningful…
It’s what makes this season so magical…
It’s what causes Advent to be so PeRsOnAl…
And, why, in its simplicity, it is MIRACULOUS and hard to fathom.
In fact, Paul Tripp has said,
“The Christmas story is so miraculous in EVERY WAY that it could have only come out of the mind of God-in-eternity before the foundations of the earth were laid down by His mighty hand. It is a gorgeous mystery of Sovereign Grace.”
AMEN!
The truth is we don’t ponder the significance of Christmas enough (well, let me speak for myself, “I don’t ponder the significance of Christmas enough!”)
The calendar fills up day by day.
The to-do-list lengthens.
The “hopes and fears” of tomorrow overwhelm.
The preparations for this party and that company consume the in-between-minutes.
Instead of freeing up space in my mind to treasure the Advent of a little babe oh-so-long-ago and the implications of that birth, I crowd in Hallmark movies (guilty) and Christmas lists (also, guilty).
When I forget to free up space and simplify MY LIFE, chaos reigns.
Brothers and sisters, this should not be…
We just lit the second candle of the Advent wreaths adorning a number of church altars.
It symbolically stands for PEACE.
Advent is a vivid reminder that the Lord intends for His people to find rest for their souls, spiritual renewal, and peace amidst the pieces of our lives.
It’s why Jesus still invites,
Come to Me…
“Are you tired?
Worn out?
Burned out on religion?
Come to me.
Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.
I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.
Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)
What a great way to do Christmas…
To spend time pondering the season…
To not “drop baby Jesus.” (link to an old blog)
There’s still time; it’s only December 8th.
Let’s re-adjust.
Let’s #simplycelebrateJesus.
