Lord, my body is throbbing from fatigue from all the Christmas celebrations.
When I stop to consider the Messiah and His coming, I still
can't stop my mind.
During the last few weeks I kept making mental lists of details,
names I wanted to remember,
things I had to do,
foods I wanted to prepare.
I am not complaining, Lord.
I love having a reason to do special things
in Your name for people I love.
I am grateful that Your coming makes the whole world sing!
The business of Christmas pulls us all—
even those who don't know You for themselves—
from the pressure to succeed and accomplish
and the worry about the chaos of the world
and turns our attention to others.
The bellringers of the Salvation Army have become
as much a part of the joy as Santa at the mall.
And although the creche can no longer be assembled in the city square,
more of us were taking time to tell the children in our families
why we make the manger and its tiny occupant
such a part of our homes.
I felt the urgency more than ever as a new year emerges
to make for another generation a celebration that would
make the Incarnation the most important event of the year.
Christmas was not just another day or even just another holiday.
We must keep telling each other and the children
that this babe in a manger was and is
the coming together of heaven and earth.
But, Lord, help me keep that focus in my own heart.
Help me remember that there is nothing of value
that doesn't demand sacrifice and effort.
You, Yourself, came on a quiet night in a small town,
but it wasn't the idyllic, effortless night
depicted in the windows.
There was blood and water and pain.
There were insufficient provisions and fear.
There were visitors at a time
when Mary must have wanted privacy.
From then on, You were putting Your own human needs
on the back burner for the Big Picture.
So, it is not out of character for Christmas to be wonderful and demanding,
a time when fatigue and effort are invested
for a few amazing moments of glory.
It is for love.
All these days after the celebration, let me remember--it is for love.
