One of my favorite things to decorate with this time of year is not the tree, not the stockings, not greens. It is for me the Nativity scene. The one I have is very simple in appearance. You will note that none of the characters have faces on them. As I place each piece just right, I am reminded that Christ didn't come for just a certain race or group of people. He came for all, and our faces could be on the pieces. My heart is more heavy this year for some reason. I am sad by all the materialism that seems to be around me. Don't get me wrong, this isn't to make you feel guilty in any way. I have started my shopping and I will wrap presents. I will be glad to see family and friends opening gifts. But so many people are struggling and they try to find happiness in things. The don't have peace the angels spoke about. I look at the manger scene and I ask myself this question: "How did we take something so quiet and simple and turn it into this?" You came quietly. You came to the poorest of families and you came to a young girl who was obedient. I am reminded in the popular Christmas song, "Mary did you know", that when she kissed her baby, she was kissing the face of God! Can you even imagine?
This year I am challenged to find a balance. I love my Christmas tree and I love the smell of cookies baking in the oven. I will enjoy wrapping presents in a few weeks. However, I want to make sure I am spending enough time and focus on the true meaning of Christmas. I want to remember that Jesus came on a quiet night, into a barn, and shepherds were the first to see Him after his earthly parents. I want to be reminded, that the shepherds didn't go buy gifts they couldn't afford, they told others what they saw! I want to tell others what I see that same child who grew into a man, did for me! I want others to hear the good news. I want to be more alert that if God sent someone my way, would I be too busy like the innkeeper and while seeing a woman in labor, still had no room in the inn or would I change my plans and make time for what He sends my way. We can be so hard on the innkeeper. He didn't seem to want to be involved. Had he known who was to be born, I am sure he would have given his own home! It had been 400 years since God had spoke. It has been over 2,000 years since Christ was here. However, when He left, He gave us the the gift of the Holy Spirit. Are we becoming so busy that we have forgotten the promises? With the passing of time are we feeling like the promises were just words and not really promises? I often wondered how the innkeeper felt the next morning when he realized later what happened. Or even years later, did he put two and two together? Did Mary and Joseph quietly slip away and keep on the move? Shepherds coming into town wouldn't turn too many heads, however, the star that shown, the star that the wise men followed couldn't be missed. Or could it? Thirty three years later, people shouted for his death! God still sends signs and wonders today. Are we seeing them or passing them by? I don't want to be so busy that I miss the blessing or experience that God has for me. The town would have been packed with people to register. It would have been stressful. People's patience would have been thin. This was not a vacation for anyone, this was a mandate. This cost them money to travel, money they didn't have to spare. Yet, they had to go. God knew His son would be born in a stable. He would not arrive as a King should arrive, yet, Jesus isn't like any typical King. I could go on, but maybe that will be a future blog. I just want to say, I can relate more with the innkeeper than I first realized. I can be busy and even have a good reason to say no. I just need to make sure the right answer is no. Sometimes it is, but other times, I need to say yes.
I want to share a story about my Nativity set. I will post a picture at the end. It is a popular set, but it took me years to get. I would ask for pieces for my birthday and for Christmas till it was a complete set. The first year that I had the entire set, I put it on a small table in our family room. I was filled with joy that it was finally complete, even with the wise men, that shouldn't be with the family since they didn't come till a couple years later, but somehow they do make it look more official. Anyway, I was baking cookies and my children were smaller, they knew not to touch it. All of a sudden, I heard a crash and I closed my eyes for fear of what I would see. My kids were in the kitchen, so they were not to blame. Who then? My dog. She had decided after 10 years of having a Christmas tree in the corner, it was time to go around it. When she didn't fit, she tried to turn around in a space that she already was stuck in and down went the tree with treasured ornaments and lights. The top of the tree caught the Nativity set, and cleared the table. She was now stuck in the lights and the branches. She simply stood and wagged just the tip of her tail. I was so angry. I quickly assessed the damage, cleaned up the tree, put dog outside. Forgot cookies in oven and burnt both trays. I then took a deep breath and looked at my pieces. All were fine, except one small lamb. Its ear was broken off. My heart sank. Back then, you couldn't buy one separate piece, you had to buy the set. So, I got out the glue and started my work before me. In that moment, time stopped and I heard the whisper in my ear reminding me, Jesus is my shepherd and I am his sheep. I am broken and only He can fix me. I decided, that having a perfect set, wasn't what I wanted. I wanted a broken one. It reminded me, I am a work in progress. I can now get a replacement piece, but I never will. I like the set I have. I still like when the house is quiet and only the window candle is lit and I see the precious Nativity set. It makes my eyes fill with tears at the preciousness of it all. You see, He came as promised after 400 years of silence. He came just as it was prophesied. I am filled with the promise, He will come again. And as I mentioned earlier about Mary kissing the face of God, I too, will be able to kiss the face of God!
I will end as I began. Finish this phrase for this year: Tis the Season to_______________.
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