"Glory" of Christmas

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We are now full speed into the Christmas season (not just "holiday" season!). Everything around seems to be gearing up for all that goes on during this time; and it seems that the more we "advance" in society, the more challenging it becomes to keep the main thing the main thing - that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Isaiah 40:1-5 talks about a time for preparing the way of the Lord, that "voice" in John the Baptist that would announce and prepare the way for the Christ to be revealed. Isaiah 40:5 says that "the glory of the Lord will be revealed..."

What is the glory of Christmas to us? What do we glory in during Christmas? What is our main focus as we come into God's house of worship each Advent Sunday?

Do we yearn and work to prepare our hearts to celebrate for Christ's birth the same or more than working to decorate our homes for the Christmas season? Do we stop each day to reflect on Scripture more than we stop to consider our Christmas shopping list?

The point is clear - the tendency of our human nature pulls us to "glory" in the material aspect of Christmas (which is not evil, by the way!) which will take away from our preparation and celebration of Christ's birth if we don't balance it with the true and only glory of Advent and Christmas which is that moment when Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, became flesh, and lived among us!

Join us next Sunday as begin our Advent and Christmas journey by preparing our hearts to receive Jesus, the glory of Christmas!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the glory of Christmas. Help me during this Advent and Christmas keep the main thing the main thing. Help me each day to focus and re-focus on preparing my heart to celebrate your birth in a fresh and new way. In your name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David