This time of year is one of the joyful expectations for me. I love the sights, the sounds, and the celebrations with friends and family. However, it is easy for me to get caught up in the preparations and overlook the real Gift—Emmanuel, God with us. I can become so busy doing, that I forget being and resting in the presence of Christ Himself. Every year I vow it will be different. Yet, I drift into old habits of busyness.
In my quiet time last week I asked God, am I too busy? Too stretched and trying to do too much? The answer was a resounding YES. I know this because I woke up the next day sick. Now I had to stop, and it was a good thing. I did need to rest, sort out my thoughts, and evaluate what was important. This is not a new issue for me. I struggle with it most of the time.
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Every year I vow it will be different. Yet, I drift into old habits of busyness. In my quiet time last week I asked God, am I too busy? Too stretched and trying to do too much?
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My heart’s desire is to experience the gift of Jesus every day and not just at Christmas. I want to experience the daily gift of His presence. I want to have eyes to see His blessings each day in the ordinary and unexpected as well as the expected and extraordinary.
Last summer, when my husband and I decided to take a back road on a busy holiday to avoid traffic, we experienced an unexpected surprise. There was no one on the road, just cattle grazing, wandering deer, and soaring birds. We were relaxed and peaceful.
As we came around a corner, suddenly there was a huge herd of sheep; a surprising change from the cattle. More surprising was the rancher overlooking the sheep sitting in his farm equipment playing the saxophone! A delightful God gift out in the middle of nowhere. We would have missed it if we had taken the main road.
Receiving Priceless Gifts From God
Sometimes we are privileged to receive a gift from God as we witness a holy moment. This was my experience one evening while serving at our local homeless shelter. A young man came through the line and asked for two plates of food. One for an old man who was having trouble walking and one for himself. He said if he could only have one plate he would give it to the old man and return to the end of the line for himself. Of course, I gave him two plates.
This was sweet enough, but then I watched as this young man sat with the old man. The two of them were alone at a table. The young man was leaning in listening and very engaged with the old man. Later in the evening, he asked for something softer for the man to eat because he was having trouble chewing the food.
The tenderness of this young man was for me a holy moment. It was as if I was watching Jesus tenderly care for one of his children. This homeless young man had such compassion as he ministered to the older homeless man. I realized I was watching something extraordinary, very holy. It was Jesus in action. This young man was giving the equivalent of a cup of cold water to the least of them. It might have seemed that those of us serving were the givers. But the truth was the one who gave the most that night was the young man who gave what he had, time, love, mercy, and compassion.
The scripture is full of ordinary people who used God to do the extraordinary. David was a shepherd, Mary was a young Jewish girl, Peter was a fisherman, and Paul was a tentmaker. They were chosen, and they were accepted to be extraordinary for the Lord.
Trust in the Promise of Things Unseen
Can you imagine what it was like for Mary? She may have been just a young girl to those around her, but God had other plans. Everything changed when the angels announced she would bear a son, the Son! From that moment, her ordinary life became extraordinary. In the song “Mary did you know” there is a verse that asks, “Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you?” When I take the time to think about this, to truly be still and reflect, it takes my breath away. Jesus, our Savior, chose to reveal himself, as a baby, to a young girl. He chose then, as He often does now, to reveal Himself in the ordinary.
Mary was told her son was special, but for most of her life, she didn’t see the fullness of the promise until His resurrection. So it is with us. We often don’t see or understand what God is doing in our lives until many years later as we reflect back and see His hand and His purpose. In the meantime, we trust in the promise of things unseen.
Have a blessed season of joy.
Personal Parables is the blog of Dyann Shepard. Get Dyann’s complementary study in Proverbs and prayer guide, What to Do When You Don’t Feel Good Enough. If you need encouragement to remember the truth about yourself in times of doubt and anxiety, this free 5-day study is for you. Follow Dyann and Personal Parables on Instagram and Facebook. Dyann is available for speaking, guest blogging, and article writing.
Music for Christmas Reflection
Christmas is a time for many beautiful songs and music. Here are some songs that tie into my recent post about the busyness and distractions that can creep into our Christmas spirit. Take a moment and hear the beauty of the lyrics and melodies that can provide a moment of reflection this season.
I heard Come and Find the Quiet Center for the first time at church just recently and was moved by how it captures the challenge of keeping our focus on the true meaning of Christmas.
The power and the glory! Merry Christmas to all.
