"but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!" (Luke 2:10-12)
Do you have all your shopping done yet? Do you have all your baking done? Is everything ready? You've probably heard something close to that over the past few weeks. Are you ready for Christmas? I know someone, who hen I call them, that is their greeting me. Are you ready for Christmas?
And on one level there is nothing wrong with that is there? After all the church has been int eh season of Advent. And what is Advent but the season of preparation, getting ready for the celebration of the birth of our Savior? Is there anything wrong with asking folks if they are ready?
Perhaps not. But let's be honest. Most of the time when we re asked, or are asking these questions, our minds are far from spiritual things. We are asking about gifts, decorations cookies and candies, pies and getting the house clean for our guests and relatives.
And the truth is we are never really ready are we? There is always one more gift to pick up. One more thing to do or clean. One more card to write, one more person to visit. Often when people ask us these questions they fill us more with guilt than with joy. We feel as if we've lowered the bar for Christmas. We aren't ready. We wonder if we'll ever be truly ready for Christmas.
If that's you, let em let you in on a little secret. Whether you are ready or not, Christmas is coming. You can't stop it. Christmas doesn't care if your cookies are baked. It doesn't care if your carpet gets vacuumed. It doesn't care that all your Christmas cards didn't get written. Christmas will come on Dec. 25th as it always has.
I don't know about you, but there is something comforting in knowing Christmas doesn't depend on me or my circumstances. Whether had a good year or a bad one, Christmas will come. Whether I'm spiritually ready or not, Christmas will come. it's not an excuse to not prepare ourselves. Nor am I suggesting we ever do away with our festivities. Obviously the more prepared we are the more we enjoy the season.
My point is simply this. Christmas doesn't depend on us. It depends on Jesus. His love for us goes beyond our circumstances. His love and joy come to us, sometimes in spite of our circumstances. Sometimes he surprises us with joy, even when we aren't looking for it.
So catch your breath. Don't worry if everything isn't ready. Enjoy the coming of Christmas and a Savior who continues to come even when we aren't ready.
Merry Christmas,
In Christ,
Rev. Dr. Brian Jones
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