Tuesday, Dec 14, 2021
“If You’re Behind this Christmas”
If you’ve been following this countdown, you’re well aware of the speed by which the calendar is flying this year. I remember when I began writing the countdown for this Christmas (see “It’s Time to Have Hope!”, Sunday, Nov 28, 2021). The point of the article was to encourage us about the HOPE of this Christmas. Are you seeing HOPE yet? Where have you seen it? If you haven’t found any HOPE yet, you’re more than a week behind. Keep looking! Don’t give up!
What about PEACE? We spent the entirety of last week chasing Advent PEACE (see “Blessed are the Cheesemakers”, Sunday, Dec 5, 2021). I’m curious: Have you found PEACE? If so, where did you experience it? If you haven’t found any PEACE this year, you’re just a couple of days behind. Keep looking!
This third week of Advent is focused on JOY. While we’re still searching for HOPE and PEACE, keep a lookout for sources of JOY. We need joyful, happy moments this Christmas just to differentiate ourselves from last year. Years from now, we don’t want our descendants lumping this Christmas (2021) together with Voldemort (The-Christmas-that-shall-not-be-named) from last year.
Never fear! Our Christmas isn’t nearly as challenging as lots of Christmases in the past. We’re already blessed, equipped, and experienced. If Mary and Joseph could find JOY in giving birth to a Jewish baby who was conceived out of wedlock in First Century Palestine, and if our ancestors could find JOY in their Christmases that came in the midst of war, plague, economic depression, and natural disasters, I think we can find it, too. (Even if it’s on Amazon and Google!)
Oh for heaven’s sake! We could always just take the easy way! Just turn to God and start praying, asking God to show us the simple gifts of HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE. All we gotta do is open our eyes, ears, and heart, and hold on tight! Here comes Christmas, right on time!
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8, NIV).