“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not by your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
“You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father’s face and tell Him you have received His Christmas gift.” John R. Rice
- Hello mamas! It’s that sweet time of the day for you and Jesus to spend some one-on-one time. Grab a copy of the Word, a journal, and something yummy to drink, and truly lean into the Lord today. He has so much for you!
- Read Luke 2:8-20. I really want to encourage you to ponder and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas today. Rather than being overwhelmed and concerned about your checklists of things to do, dwell on blessings and be in awe of the ultimate gift of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
The Wonder of Jesus
Wow! Is Christmas time already here again?
As I’ve become a young adult, I’ve started to notice that Christmas seems to have lost some of its dazzle and wonder. I now understand that flying reindeer don’t exist, I’ve seen the Nutcracker a million times, and I actually ask for socks as a gift every year. The holidays get busy with parties and houses full of guests. My pockets get low on funds, and stress levels get high with the desire to fulfill wish lists.
When did wonder and the celebration of our Savior’s birth shift to chaos and merely going through the motions?
Buried under all the Christmas checklists is a baby whose birth started this annual party, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t ask for LEGO toys or Barbies. Mary never had Christmas trees or gingerbread houses for her kids. In fact, Jesus’ childhood is barely mentioned in the Bible!
Don’t get me wrong. I think Christmas traditions are absolutely fantastic, but maybe we are getting so consumed with all of the celebrations and festivities that we actually miss the beauty of the pure message of Christmas.
In the story of Jesus’ birth, shepherds come, the heavenly hosts declare His birth, and powerful foreign men present our Savior with incredible wealth. And amidst the busyness, the Bible says, “But Mary treasured up all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).
She found value in the moments.
I believe Mary understood her baby was the Great I Am and that her obedience to God would reward her infinitely more than anything the world offered her.
Years later, when her baby would die on a cross, He was dying on her behalf. He died because of His tender love for all of people. He died to make a way for us to walk with His Father through life and join His Kingdom in our earthly passing. He died to pay for every mistake and every sin we’ve made so that we may take his hand and step over our painful pasts.
Mamas, Jesus wasn’t born to give us stressful to-do lists: Jesus was born so we could celebrate life and have no fear for the future. I encourage you to ponder the gift and miracle of our Jesus’ birth and to honor Him in your home this Christmas. Store up your moments, treasure your family, and be dazzled by the ultimate miracle.
Have a blessed and beautiful Christmas full of angels, cookies, and wonder.
Blessings and Love,
Sarah L.
Questions to Ponder
- Jesus has given you all His love and gifted you with His Spirit, sweet mama. It’s so important to remember that! Take your time in celebrating that today. Talk to Him!
- How can you remind yourself and your family what this season is really about when you become stressed?
- What is your fondest Christmas memory or tradition? Ask yourself where you see God’s hand in that memory, and be encouraged by that!
- Pray that God would fill you and your household with peace and graciousness this Christmas.
- Pray for a heart filled with joy and energy!
- Take the time to celebrate the wonder of Christmas, and try to see the season through the eyes of your kiddos. Everything is exhilarating, shiny, and wonderful!
Faith-Filled Ideas
Take some time today and work on making your heart obedient to recognizing the gift that Christmas offers you. Write out your list of Christmas miracles and joys. Keep this list somewhere easily accessible and pray praise over it.
As the classic Christmas carol states: “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel has come to thee, oh Israel (his people)!” Celebrate and encourage your heart with how God fulfills His promises for you and continues to bless you. It is so easy to get caught up with the things in life that are not going right, but I encourage your heart to rejoice in your numerous blessings!
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