Christmas Reflections, #1

On the morning of November 1, I went to the mailboxes to see if, perchance, I had any of the old-fashioned kind of mail.  Much to my delight, there was a package slip in my box (rare!).  On the slip was a little handwritten note: Time to start listening to Christmas music!  Permission!  I had just been granted permission to listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving was over.  Yes, please!  So, my excitement for the Christmas season began to mount, early in November. 

As soon as I finished last week’s blog, I went to the Bible to start looking for appropriate advent passages.  Where did I start?  Where the stories of Jesus began – in Matthew.  I got as far as chapter 3, when I stopped.  Here’s how it reads:

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.”

Prepare...that was John’s calling.
The way of Jesus...that was John’s mission.
Repent...that was John’s message.

Nothing could be more “advent” than John the Baptist – he was the pre-advent of the advent of the incarnate Christ.  I’ve no problem with his calling, or his mission.  His message, however, is another story.  Who wants to hear the word, “repent?”  Many seemed to be attracted to his message, or maybe they were attracted to the snacks he provided (mmmmmm – locusts!!!!); people came out in droves to be baptized by him.  On the other hand, the word he proclaimed in connection with the coming of the Messiah, as a way of preparation, also got him killed (that’s another story for another day).  Regardless, “repent” was his message.  About face!  Change your mind; change your heart; change your life!  I found myself wondering.  What if JB dropped into the world of Christmas 2012?  What would his message be today?  How would he help you and I prepare for the celebration of Jesus' coming, and the, possible imminent advent of his return?  Inside me, the still small voice of the Spirit of God, whispered, “Repent...”  (I might be wrong, but I think I heard the word, “duh,” after that.  If so, it was very still and very small.)

I was actually doing all this wondering as I was filling these little clear plastic ornaments for my grand-children.  I created fake snow with white rice, and half-filled each of the ornaments with it.  Then, I started dropping in these tiny little objects from the craft store.  The goal is for the kiddos to find the objects.  It’s like Where’s Waldo© in a Christmas ornament.  They can make it a game if they want and see who can find all the fun objects fastest.  Or, they can just look for them.  One of the objects is a cross.  The thought occurred to me as I dropped the cross in the first ornament, “Isn’t that the problem with the glitz, the decorations, the shopping, the push, the activities, the lights, the hustle, the bustle, the search for the perfect present?  The cross gets lost in the mayhem.  Isn’t Christmas more about the cross, rather than the manger?  Isn’t Christmas more about salvation for the lost, than the perfect shirt or piece of jewelry, or necktie to give to dad?”  Isn’t Christmas more about redemption?  Isn’t Christmas more about ---- oh, yes, "forgiveness?”  Repent!

As we prepare for Christmas, let’s start with our own hearts.  Let’s evaluate John’s message:  what is cluttering our hearts and keeping the cross in the shadows?  Repent!  Make room for the Savior...find his forgiveness.