Devotional 12-2-07

Are you getting excited yet? It is only 22 more days until Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. 528 more hours until the baby Jesus' birthday will become a reality again this year, with gift giving, and joy bringing, and the worshipping and singing will ring out again. Just 31,680 minutes until we are to be as a child, and feel the joy of the light come down to earth, and know that the love and grace of God through the presence of God's Son was first found to be moving among us. Are you excited or what?

This year I really do want to be as a child, and feel the anticipation of the coming event and know that God wants each of us to respond with a childlike newness as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus. So often, the Christmas season causes us to grow weary with the multiple tasks of preparing our homes, our families and ourselves for the event. This year I want it to be different.

I love the way this idea is expressed in Romans 13:11-14 in Eugene Peterson's version of The Message:

"But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!"

Advent is here. Prepare yourself first, so you may be as a child, anticipating God's greatest gift of love.

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love,
hearts unfold like flowers before thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

New light, new joy, new love!!!!!!!! Celebrate – The baby Jesus is coming! AMEN.

Rev. Suzanne Ellis