Joy to the World - Pt 3

And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Luke 1:12-17 ESV).

What John the Baptist did for Israel, Christmas can do for us. We must not be unprepared for this time of celebration. It is so easy to get busy with all the things we are called on to do for Christmas that we can easily fail to be spiritually prepared. If we will prepare, the joy and impact will be so much greater. There are some practical things we can do to increase our preparedness for Christmas. Each of these suggestions come from some of my own practices each year. Perhaps they will be as helpful to you as they are to me. First, meditate on the fact that you need a Savior. Christmas is as much an indictment as it is a delight. It will not have its intended effect until we feel desperately the need for a Savior. I believe that we have inadvertently allowed the grace of God to be devalued simply through neglect. We all too often cheapen the price of our redemption in our effort to reach others with this wonderful good news! Second, engage in a sober self-examination. Advent is to Christmas what Lent is to Easter. David’s psalm of repentance is such an incredible declaration and example for us to follow. He writes, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23–24). We prepare him room in our hearts and lives by cleaning house. Third, build God-centered anticipation and excitement into your home, especially for the children. For us that moment when we really begin to do this is the time of decoration. We are traditionalists in our theme. I like a cut tree, though any will do. It is the first reminder of the eternal life God gives us through Christ. Evergreens have long been such a symbol. And, we use many other decorative pieces that have meant something special to us through the years. Sharing these memories build excitement for the others who share our home. If you are excited about Christ, they will be too. Fourth, be much in the Scriptures, and memorize the great passages! “Is not my word like fire, says the Lord!” (Jeremiah 23:29) Gather ‘round that fire this Advent season. It is warm. It is sparkling with colors of grace. It is healing for a thousand hurts. It is light for dark nights. Make ready for the celebration of the coming of our King! It will increase you joy and peace enormously the entire year ahead!