December has come. There is a permanent temperature drop, that makes me want to stay in bed all morning under my down comforter, that makes me want to cuddle with those close to me and drink some coffee or cocoa, that makes my slippers the first thing my feet see out of bed. Breath becomes visible on the air, the frost forms perfect snowflakes on my car windows, and the least amount of precipitation will freeze my car door shut. Ahh it is official count down to Christmas is here. To be honest a countdown started when we bought our tickets to Maine. But that was a countdown until we go home. I am saddened as I look back at my sad attempts to keep Christ the reason for the season. How I have let materialism and the fun of parties and people keep my thoughts away from the birth of the One who had mercy on my sinful state and sent the perfect God-man to bear all my sins, past and present and die one of the most gruesome deaths and bear the Father's wrath and for the first time have the Father turn His back on the Son. I have been challenged by a dear saint, who now spends her Christmas in the presence of Jesus, to make sure that along with my Christmas tree I have a nativity scene up. Ours sits in front of the TV. While there is nothing wrong with a Christmas tree, it really does not help us focus on the reason we celebrate, where as the nativity portrays the gift given to us that we did and do not deserve.
I want this Christmas to be a time for me to really grasp what Christmas is about...Christ. For Christmas I want more devotion to my Lord, a better relationship with Christ, to realize my sin, to not quench the Holy Spirit, to show all Christ in my words and deeds, to speak more of Christ and His work in my life, to pray more and glorify God with my whole body. That is really what I want for Christmas. Those things satisfy and bring us contentment in our lives. The rest turns to ash.
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