Many people are excited about bidding farewell to 2020. 2021 seems to hold a promise of something new and better. We all feel it. There is a hope inside of each of us for the newness the New Year brings. Hold on to that hope. Allow it to anchor you into a place of expectancy and anticipation. A New Year and season are upon us, a season that will benefit from a fierce devotion to Jesus.
On December 21, 2020 there was a bright and shining star in the sky. A star that was the result of Jupiter and Saturn crossing paths, resulting in an event that claimed headlines as the Great Conjunction of 2020. The darkest day of the year (the winter solstice and first day of winter) was made brighter by the Christmas Star. The Christmas Star drew our eyes to the sky and our hearts to Jesus, as it reminded us of that star from long ago announcing the birth of our Savior.
“O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward leading,
Still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light.”
~ We Three Kings
To quote the donkey Bo in 2017 children’s movie The Star, “that star means something”…. The bible tells us we can “Expect to witness amazing and perplexing signs throughout the universe with the sun, the moon, and the stars.” (Luke 21:25, TPT). The Christmas Star is once again noteworthy as it draws our hearts and our minds to the Messiah. As I gazed up at the night sky 12/21/20 to admire the Lords handiwork, I felt the gently wind of His Spirit whisper to my heart that it is the beginning of a new season.
“Expect to witness amazing and perplexing signs throughout the universe with the sun, the moon, and the stars.” Luke 21:25, TPT
As the world prepared for Christmas this year and counted down the final days, the Heavens joined in chorus declaring Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming friends! I know… the season of Christmas just came and went, and most of us are wrapping it all up and preparing for the New Year ahead of us.
If you are like me, it is always a bittersweet time of the year as we say goodbye to the magic and the busyness of the Christmas season. As we put away the decorations and the boxes and bows… something deep within us longs for the Spirit of Christmas to linger just a little longer. Not the busyness, but the magic and the wonder. I know I feel it. Do you? It is the quiet invitation from Christmas Himself to celebrate Christmas all year long.
Ask yourself what it is you like best about Christmas? What are the magical moments that make all the busyness worthwhile? What are the moments that take your breath away and make you pause in the midst of it all? Make a list… go ahead. I will wait….
I would venture to guess we love many of the same things about Christmas. I love the childlike wonder, the warmth and peace of the nights around the Christmas tree with the room all aglow, the Christmas lights on every street that shine light in the dark, the gatherings with family, the love, the joy, and the comfort of the familiar food, carols and traditions. The season of Christmas does bring childlike wonder, warmth, peace, light, family, love, joy and comfort for many of us.
Unfortunately, the Christmas season also comes with the hefty price tag of exhausted parents and grandparents, weary travelers, depleted bank accounts and even loneliness for many. What if we could have the excitement, warmth, peace, love, joy, and comfort, without the exhaustion, weariness, depletion or even the loneliness? WE CAN!
Christmas isn’t a season. Christmas is a person, and He is Jesus. The parts we love about Christmas are the very essence of His being. He is wonder, warmth and peace, light in the dark, family, love, joy, and comfort. I want to pause on the word wonder for a moment. I feel like that one word so perfectly sums up our beautiful Savior. Wonder is a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable (www.google.com).
Oh… the wonder of Christmas! He is so beautiful, admirable, surprising, inexplicable… wonderful! What we love about Christmas cannot be packed away and doesn’t diminish as we ring in the New Year. The celebration of the season of Christmas may be behind us (or ahead of us for those of you already counting down to Christmas 2021), but the person of Christmas is always beside us.
Christmas the season is a worldwide birthday celebration of Christmas the Person. Birthdays are a celebration of life. There is a reason we continue to celebrate the life of Jesus year after year… 2000 years after His birth. It is because He is alive. The celebration of life at a birthday doesn’t end just because the birthday comes and goes. We continue to celebrate our loved ones and honor them daily. How much greater should our daily celebration of Christmas be. How can we celebrate Christmas the Person daily?
I believe the answer is found in the dress rehearsal that is December. Let us look back at our Christmas preparation, planning and celebration. How did we prepare for Christmas and what can we learn from it? The time, the energy, the love, the generosity, the service, the unwavering dedication… It makes sense that we would celebrate the birth of our Savior with such unwavering generosity and service towards others, and with such dedication and focus. IMAGINE for a moment if the world acknowledged our Savior with the same zeal and zest!!
I hear you… you are tired, that was exhausting… I know. I am right there with you.
But there is one major difference. Christmas the person is a place of rest for the weary. He is refreshing. He is humble and easy to please. He simply longs for your friendship and love. Listen to Him whisper the words of Matthew 11 to you: “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.”
28 “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. 29 Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. 30 For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.” Matthew 11:28-30 (TPT)
Christmas is coming! Let us prepare for Christmas! Let us prepare with the zest, zeal and the childlike wonder He deserves. That we deserve! Christmas is still coming! It is coming in a way we are not expecting. Yes… we are putting away our final decorations, but our preparation should be far from over. As we wrap up the final details of the Christmas season, it is time to unwrap the final gift of His presence.
Christmas the person is coming! He is coming like a white knight upon a fiery steed. Miracles are coming. The unexpected is breaking through, triumphing, mesmerizing and tantalizing. We must prepare. Let us take the same unwavering dedication and determination we gave Christmas the season, as we prepare for the coming of Christmas the Person.
Make a commitment to celebrate Christmas and His coming all year! There are no New Year’s resolutions that will benefit you more than that. How do we do it?
READ, WORSHIP, PRAY and FOLLOW. That is all. This January make a commitment to do the following. Create a habit that will carry you through the year and beyond. Track your progress on this free printable: UNWRAPPING CHRISTMAS
READ:
DIG DEEP INTO THE WORD OF GOD. Years ago I heard such a clear invitation from the Lord to “Read well the Father’s script”. If we set any resolutions for ourselves as we enter into the New Year, this should be at the top of the list. Get into the word of God! There are many ways to do this. You can join a bible study, simply read your bible, or even listen to the bible being read to you as you drive to work, make breakfast, get ready for your day, exercise…
- The Daily Audio Bible is a great app if you want to listen to the Bible each day https://dailyaudiobible.com/.
- Another great app is https://www.bible.com/. This is an online version of the bible that you can read or listen to. It has all the different versions of the bible so you can listen to or read the version that speaks most to your heart. I personally LOVE The Passion Translation of the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs.
WORSHIP:
Surround yourself in worship. Turn it on when you wake up in the morning and allow it to infuse your space throughout the day. Make a commitment to worship daily for 1 month without compromise. Make it a habit. When you go to turn on Pandora or the radio… find a worship station and tune in. My favorite Pandora station is Bethel Worship.
PRAY:
Pray for Christmas to linger long after the decorations are put away this year. Pray for Christmas to come into your homes, your families, your work… and to do what only He can do. Invite Christmas to take priority over everything else this year. Make Christmas first in your day, your week, your month, your year, your life. There is nothing more important than this! NOTHING!
FOLLOW:
As you spend time with Jesus each day, you will begin to hear His sweet voice. As you sit with Him, ask Him in prayer how you can better follow Him each day, He will light your path. You will feel a prompting. It may be as simple as coming back to read more of His word the next day, or as challenging as making amends with a love one, forgiving someone who hurt you, giving up an unhealthy habit, beginning a healthy habit, loving on someone in need… It may look like a handwritten letter, a phone call or a simple act of kindness. It may be the same topic for one month or a new topic each day… It may be challenging, it may be easy… There are no rules. You will know it is Jesus if it shines light and won’t cause any harm. Seek the counsel of a Godly mentor if the task is bigger than you can handle alone.
December 21, 2020 marked the beginning of a new season. 2021 does hold a promise of something new and better. Hold on to the hope inside of you for the newness that the New Year brings. Allow that hope to anchor you into a place of expectancy and anticipation as you prepare for Christmas! A New Year and season are upon us.
The Star means something! Christmas is coming! Will you be ready?
I would like to invite you to join me HERE to read more about the Power of Christmas