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So you have family coming over and you are nervous. It is the first
time they have visited your house in some time and they chose to do
it this Christmas. They have been on your mind since they told you
they wanted to come for Christmas and now it is December and you are
nowhere near ready. You haven’t purchased their presents yet because
you just have no idea what would be right for them. The house is
clean but it isn’t clean yet. And Christmas dinner, what about that?
Is Aunt Susan allergic to peanuts? You can’t quite remember. And
isn’t it her son, Tom, who hates Turkey and loves ham, or is it the
opposite? You aren’t quite sure and you are too embarrassed to ask.
In short, Christmas is coming and you just aren’t ready.
Now you know what John the Baptist was trying to do. He was trying
to instill that sense of urgency in all who heard him preach. “Get
ready,” he shouted, “because company is coming and you don’t want
your house to be a mess. Get ready.” As we think about the coming
celebration of Christ’s birth we would be wise to have the same
sense of urgency in our lives that we would have if long unseen but
beloved family members were coming to our home. We should be getting
ready. Advent, the time prior to Christmas, is the season to take
inventory of our lives. Have I been as faithful as I could have
been? Should I get re-involved at church? What has happened to my
prayer life? Maybe I should give Jesus another chance in my life.
These thoughts and questions, not worries over money and gifts and
time, should be at the fore of our minds this holiday season. Listen
to John preach and get ready. Company is coming and we will all want
to be ready to receive him. |
[Jo Hilliard, LDN Spiritual Life Editor]
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