Are You Ready for Christmas?

The last few days have been truly crazy and hectic.  The regular semester FINALLY ended on Friday then, tomorrow, Wednesday, the Winter Term begins.  As the genius that I am, I decided to teach a course during the Winter Term.  It's an online class so I have been frantically working since Friday to organize and display all the material needed for students to begin tomorrow.  I'm still not done.  And I'm so focused on the stuff I still have to get done, that I'm having a hard time being able to relax and realize that I have done a lot...and that...in reality...there isn't much left to do...

Then, of course, I get all distressed once I start thinking about Christmas!

My distress comes not so much from the fact that "I'm not ready," but from the fact that "I'm NOT ready."  You know what I mean?

When people ask me: "are you ready for Christmas?"  I know they are truly asking if I am done purchasing all my presents.  I say stuff like: "mostly, yes...I'm ready."  (And the only way I actually am ready in that respect is thanks to Amazon.com) However, that question stirs conflict in my soul.

Am I really READY?

Of course I'm NOT!

I have spent hardly any time meditating on Scripture and on the significance of the birth of my Savior!  Of course I am NOT ready!

In Sunday School last week, it was mentioned how those who are in Scripture KNOW...

We were pondering the question of whether or not Mary and Joseph "knew" what was going on.  The conclusion was that, perhaps they did have an idea.  They were most likely taught the Word and especially all the prophecies that dealt with the coming of the Savior.  So we think that maybe, yes, they were definitely taken aback  by the news of Mary's Holy pregnancy...but...as they pondered...the Holy Spirit was able to help them find peace in the knowledge of fulfilled promises.

By the time Mary visited Elizabeth, the Holy Spirit had already brought up to the front of her mind all the knowledge of Scripture she had learned in her short life, as she was able to offer her song. Prompted by Elizabeth's greeting:

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1: 42-45

Mary went ahead and proclaimed:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.” Luke 1: 46-55

To be able to "magnify" the Lord in such a way, the Word needs to be hidden in our hearts and souls.  

Those who know the Word...KNOW.  That's why Elizabeth knew.  That's how Mary accepted.  That's why the dream Joseph had was not dismissed as yet another nightmare.  That's how we will know that that He is Emmanuel.

Christmas is almost here.  Let's become ready by going back to Scripture and fixing our eyes on Him who came and will come again. 

I'm going to dedicate the last few posts before Christmas to Christmas.  Then, I will continue with my comments of the book You Are Going to Be Okay, by Holley Gerth.