The Chaos of Christmas
The countdown has begun! It is time to start getting things in order as Christmas approaches.
As if life weren’t stressful enough, we have to plan, prepare, and prioritize Christmas. This season you might join your family that you haven’t seen for a few years, and obviously, we recognize the busyness of our schedules within this season.
To the busy parent — you are wrapping gifts while hoping those gifts come on time. And when you find time in between all of that, you are trying to coordinate with other family members what side dish you are supposed to bring for Christmas dinner.
And don’t forget to buy spare batteries for all the battery-powered toys that DO NOT come with batteries. Why is that? Anyway…
To the busy couple — this may be your first Christmas married, engaged, or dating, and you now have to talk about all things about marriage. You must know that you will be asked when you plan on having kids, how you will raise them, what vacation you will go on…and this is all while going to 7 different family traditions…
To the busy grandparent — You are the ultimate gift giver! But if you have multiple grandchildren, you have to get the same amount of things for each because it has to be fair according to them. Just remember they become more competent as they get older and begin to identify who got what and wonder why they didn’t get the same thing as one of their cousins…
To the busy individual — Maybe you are facing a Christmas unlike any other before that. Whether you are single or you are without your loved one that was with you last Christmas…this year just won’t be the same.
Whatever we anticipate this Christmas is for us, I wonder how Mary expected the moment she was about to give birth?
She knew that she was pregnant with the Messiah.
She knew that she was experiencing major birth pains.
She knew King Herod wanted to kill her baby.
How does that sort of news sit with you? I’d be spiraling into panic mode!
And yet, in all of this chaos, Mary responds with a sense of calm and peace. I don’t know about you, but I would be stressed out by the amount of turmoil spinning around me. I would simply be sucked up into the vortex of stress and panic, but Mary gives us a chance to respond differently.
The news about having a baby, out of wedlock, without being with her husband just boggles the mind, but in a spirit of trust, Mary responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”
Uh…Mary, I’m sorry…did you just hear what the angel told you? I’d be freaking out, much like Joseph was when the angel appeared to him.
And yet Mary, in a calm, still voice, humbly submits herself to the will of God. Are you willing, like Mary, to submit yourself to the will of God?
Let this season simply be an opportunity to reflect on the words of God to you that the Spirit of God is reminding you to “be still and know that he is the LORD.”
