Hope everyone is enjoying this Christmas season. I have had one of the most spectacular weeks that I have had in a long time; one of those that for a few hours, everything just seems right with the world. I know most of you have watched as things have happened over the years to our family. We have had some real challenges and faced some tough times. I am thankful that I always had faith in God to see us through, but have still been pretty scared at times as to what "through" was going to entail.
I know there are people that are having less than the perfect Christmas, sadly, life doesn't stop being life just because we turned the calendar to December. I have a friend who I went to school with that had a major problem this week and is in Intensive Care in Champaign. I know his family is thankful he is alive, but it still doesn't feel right to be in such turmoil during Christmas. We had two really rough times during Christmas that I remember growing up. December 10th, 1981, my mom came home from the hospital, after being there since October, the year after my dad died. Two years before that, my dad had went the first of December to see if there was anything else that could be done to help his heart after having a massive heart attack. We went through Christmas with the sting that we were told no, the next one would kill him and the odds were that he would have a next one. I used to be bitter when so many advances started being made in treatments after heart attacks, but now, I am thankful every time a family is spared losing a loved one.
I guess after having things like that happened, going through Christmas worrying about money doesn't seem like the biggest deal in the world. I was there last year. We knew when we started Andrew's business that we would probably face some dry times and that when people were preparing for Christmas was most likely to be one of them. We lived through it though, and this year, thanks to remarkable clients, he is still busy. One couple had him scheduled for this month and needed to postpone until the first of the year because of some unexpected plans during December. It basically gave us a scheduled job the first working day of the new year. They have no idea, ( until they may read this), but I may have shed some tears, as I was thanking God for making Andrew's dreams come true and just knowing we were starting off the year with work, well, that is just an amazing feeling. And even more amazing, was someone called and needed just a few things done and we were able to say yes, we have time. God is good, all the time.
There was another couple that faced a lot of turmoil during the Christmas season though. Before Christmas was Christmas, a young girl found out from an angel that she would have a baby. A young man found out from an angel that this was God's will. And then, God expected them to be strong through the fact that even though THEY knew they were doing what was right, that angel didn't go visit all their friends and family--wouldn't that have made it easier? You know, even back then that tongues wagged. And then, to top it off, I wonder what Mary though when the angel came. We all think, she was obedient and none of this fazed her. Sorry, I try very hard to be obedient, but when the Lord says, "You are going to do this, it isn't going to be easy, and nobody is going to understand, but you are doing what you are supposed to", it isn't all peaches and cream. Because of that verse that says, "There is a way that seems right to a man", everyone has an opinion.
That angel didn't tell Mary that they would have to go to Bethlehem when it was almost time, that nobody would let them stay and that she was supposed to find a barn, and settle in and have her baby. Although it still wouldn't have been easy, it would have been easier to understand why all of this was happening. No, here is how that conversation took place:
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”[a]
29 But when she saw him,[b] she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 26-38
Nope, not a single mention of a cattle stall, in fact, I am thinking human instinct probably said if you are being told you are highly favored and that you are giving birth to one who is called the Son of the Highest, your first thoughts would not be of a barn, and hay, and cattle standing around as you were going through having a baby. And yes, Mary said willingly, yes Lord. But, even though Mary was highly favored, we know she wasn't perfect, and I just have a feeling that there was more than once in that 9 months that she would say, "Really, Lord?"
And then, lets think about Joseph. Joseph knew the baby wasn't his, but don't you think most people around there thought he had done just as wrong as Mary? Especially since they were still together? Yep, I believe he probably endured a lot of judgment from people too, even though he as well, knew he was doing what was right.
So, I don't believe that journey to bring Christ into the world was easy for the very people responsible for getting Him here. I think we all have such high expectations of the perfect Christmas, and have to remember that the only thing perfect about the very first Christmas was Christ himself.
So, if this Christmas finds you not where you want to be, look back to that barn, that manger, and know, Christ is still perfect, He was the only one that was perfect that night, and He is still perfect today. Things may happen in your life, and people may talk, but keep your eyes on Him.
And if you are seeing someone today that you feel like you know what is going on in their life, maybe you should remember that people around Mary and Joseph thought they knew what was going on and they were wrong.
What if God put that person in your life to see how much of Him you could show to them.
I am leaving you with "Mary, Did You Know?"
I used the Straight No Chaser version because I got to see them with my best friend Tammy this last Wednesday! That was just a little icing on the cake during this Christmas season.
I know there are people that are having less than the perfect Christmas, sadly, life doesn't stop being life just because we turned the calendar to December. I have a friend who I went to school with that had a major problem this week and is in Intensive Care in Champaign. I know his family is thankful he is alive, but it still doesn't feel right to be in such turmoil during Christmas. We had two really rough times during Christmas that I remember growing up. December 10th, 1981, my mom came home from the hospital, after being there since October, the year after my dad died. Two years before that, my dad had went the first of December to see if there was anything else that could be done to help his heart after having a massive heart attack. We went through Christmas with the sting that we were told no, the next one would kill him and the odds were that he would have a next one. I used to be bitter when so many advances started being made in treatments after heart attacks, but now, I am thankful every time a family is spared losing a loved one.
I guess after having things like that happened, going through Christmas worrying about money doesn't seem like the biggest deal in the world. I was there last year. We knew when we started Andrew's business that we would probably face some dry times and that when people were preparing for Christmas was most likely to be one of them. We lived through it though, and this year, thanks to remarkable clients, he is still busy. One couple had him scheduled for this month and needed to postpone until the first of the year because of some unexpected plans during December. It basically gave us a scheduled job the first working day of the new year. They have no idea, ( until they may read this), but I may have shed some tears, as I was thanking God for making Andrew's dreams come true and just knowing we were starting off the year with work, well, that is just an amazing feeling. And even more amazing, was someone called and needed just a few things done and we were able to say yes, we have time. God is good, all the time.
There was another couple that faced a lot of turmoil during the Christmas season though. Before Christmas was Christmas, a young girl found out from an angel that she would have a baby. A young man found out from an angel that this was God's will. And then, God expected them to be strong through the fact that even though THEY knew they were doing what was right, that angel didn't go visit all their friends and family--wouldn't that have made it easier? You know, even back then that tongues wagged. And then, to top it off, I wonder what Mary though when the angel came. We all think, she was obedient and none of this fazed her. Sorry, I try very hard to be obedient, but when the Lord says, "You are going to do this, it isn't going to be easy, and nobody is going to understand, but you are doing what you are supposed to", it isn't all peaches and cream. Because of that verse that says, "There is a way that seems right to a man", everyone has an opinion.
That angel didn't tell Mary that they would have to go to Bethlehem when it was almost time, that nobody would let them stay and that she was supposed to find a barn, and settle in and have her baby. Although it still wouldn't have been easy, it would have been easier to understand why all of this was happening. No, here is how that conversation took place:
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”[a]
29 But when she saw him,[b] she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 26-38
Nope, not a single mention of a cattle stall, in fact, I am thinking human instinct probably said if you are being told you are highly favored and that you are giving birth to one who is called the Son of the Highest, your first thoughts would not be of a barn, and hay, and cattle standing around as you were going through having a baby. And yes, Mary said willingly, yes Lord. But, even though Mary was highly favored, we know she wasn't perfect, and I just have a feeling that there was more than once in that 9 months that she would say, "Really, Lord?"
And then, lets think about Joseph. Joseph knew the baby wasn't his, but don't you think most people around there thought he had done just as wrong as Mary? Especially since they were still together? Yep, I believe he probably endured a lot of judgment from people too, even though he as well, knew he was doing what was right.
So, I don't believe that journey to bring Christ into the world was easy for the very people responsible for getting Him here. I think we all have such high expectations of the perfect Christmas, and have to remember that the only thing perfect about the very first Christmas was Christ himself.
So, if this Christmas finds you not where you want to be, look back to that barn, that manger, and know, Christ is still perfect, He was the only one that was perfect that night, and He is still perfect today. Things may happen in your life, and people may talk, but keep your eyes on Him.
And if you are seeing someone today that you feel like you know what is going on in their life, maybe you should remember that people around Mary and Joseph thought they knew what was going on and they were wrong.
What if God put that person in your life to see how much of Him you could show to them.
I am leaving you with "Mary, Did You Know?"
I used the Straight No Chaser version because I got to see them with my best friend Tammy this last Wednesday! That was just a little icing on the cake during this Christmas season.
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