I can hardly believe a year has flown by so fast and its Christmas again! I still, at this point need to do shopping and finish getting ready (I never start until I finish work). But, as I start to get in a tizz about what I haven’t done yet I am reminded why we are celebrating and it’s not about anything I have or haven’t done but, it’s all about what God has done!
‘JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON’
Isa 9:6 A child is born to us!
A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler.
He will be called, “Wonderful Counselor,”
“Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,”
“Prince of Peace.”
It’s all too easy to get side-tracked with the festivities and preparations, that we completely overlook Jesus and I have been guilty of that myself, as I fall under the weight of consumerism that is rife in today’s society. The fear of not having a perfectly presented house, the ‘right’ presents under the tree (or not in my case), enough food to feed an army, being Pinterest ready, the perfect outfit for Christmas Day get togethers and on and on the list goes.
ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!! Even typing that list is making me feel anxious!!!!!
How are you doing with your anxiety levels this Christmas?
For lots of people, seeing the TV advert for Coca-Cola for the first time is heralding in Christmas for them. If you’ve never seen it, it’s the one with the big red truck with the Coca-Cola logo on it, festooned with lights, coming through a beautiful snowy scene.
As I was thinking about Christmas I was reminded of this advert and the way Christmas has become a juggernaut of immense size, full of consumerism, ever advancing and growing. Every year the pressure is on to better the previous year’s decorations, presents, parties and even carol services. The pressure to make it a ‘perfect’ Christmas just builds and builds until it becomes something that can lead people to feel stressed and anxious and completely takes away from the point of Christmas in the first place, the birth of Jesus, who was born in a stable, laid in an animal feeder full of hay and surrounded by animals and people. It’s really very simple and we so easily forget the amazing simplicity of the reason for celebrating this season.
It’s all about Jesus.
Don’t for one-minute think I mean the birth of Jesus is a simple thing because that’s not what I mean at all. It’s the most wonderful and mind blowing happening of all time, God sent his own precious son, Jesus, to live on this earth as a human (God amongst us) and then to ultimately die on a cross so we could enter back into a right relationship with him. That’s not simple, but the way in which the Saviour of the world came into it, was incredibly humble with no airs and graces, no palace, no fancy hospital with the best team of medics on stand by, no gas and air for Mary, but a simple stable for the Prince of Peace.
Over this Christmas season I want my home to be welcoming and tidy obviously, but it is never going to be perfect because we’re not perfect as human beings. I will have food to feed my family and it’s going to be interesting for us this year as the Lovely Mr B will be recuperating after finishing his radiotherapy, so the kids will have to help cook the dinner (it’s not one of my strengths and we’re missing Mr B in the kitchen). He has told me that a variation of beans on toast will not be okay this year! As long as I get to spend some quality time with those I love then all the rest can happily fade into the background for me.
Christmas can be an extremely busy time of the year and the opposite of restful but this year I am so tired physically and emotionally that rest is the top of my list of ‘wants‘. It is going to be a time to draw close to Papa and spend some quality time hearing about his plans for me for the year ahead and getting excited and re-energised by being close to him.
It’s also going to be a time of processing my ‘stuff’. The last few months have been very hard going with this cancer battle we have been fighting and I’m honestly feeling shattered. I will definitely be taking time to bring any pain and disappointment to a Father who cares so deeply about me and how I feel. It will no doubt get a bit messy (if you know what I mean) but I know that it will get me back into the right place to move forward and not leave me with road blocks in my life that stop the Holy Spirit flowing through me.
If you are going through a season of grief, cancer or just struggling with other stuff that life throws at you, I heartily recommend spending some quality time with the father who will gently help you deal with the pain and put you back together. He is in the business of bringing wholeness and restoration.
1Pet 5-10-11 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So, keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are! —will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
As I type this I am listening to ‘Mountain‘ by Bryan and Katie Torwalt and the words;
‘High in the mountains I will be lifting my voice and in the valley I will be dancing for joy. In every season you are worthy, in every moment you’re wonderful’.
Wherever this holiday season finds you, this is the truth. God loves you wholeheartedly and he couldn’t love you any more today than he already does.
Can I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Christmas. Also, a massive thank you for all your love and support this year. I am looking forward to lots more blogging next year and for Kingdomcallingblog to continue to grow, inspiring, equipping and encouraging the people that read it, in their daily walk with God.
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