Ready for Christmas?



Where did 2013 go?

December is here and we are knocking on the door of a new year. I’ve done a bit of holiday planning—in my head at least. I got my first Christmas card in the mail yesterday—a telltale sign that I’m not prepared for Christmas at all, at least not in the practical sense.

I wonder if the first Christmas was like that.

For hundreds of years the prophets proclaimed and set the stage for the Messiah’s coming—their words said:

To follow a star in the east
Seek a baby to be born in Bethlehem
A king born of a virgin, nestled in a manger
His name will be Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace
God with us - Emmanuel
And, He would save the people from their sins

I wonder if they were ready for His arrival. Did the busyness of life cloud the signs?

Anna and Simeon recognized Jesus in the temple after his birth. The Shepherds told of heavenly hosts and discovered an infant in a feeding trough just as the angel proclaimed. And, Mary pondered all these things in her heart.

Jesus had come. Born as a baby, He lived quietly as a carpenter’s son until the fullness of time. The time when He would fulfill His purpose for you and me.

Prophets foretold. People waited. Jesus came.

As you anticipate your Christmas celebrations, how will you prepare for His coming?

 

                                              Jeanne

Suggested Resource:
The Jesse Tree provides a way to usher in the story of Jesus during December

Images Courtesy of www.morguefile.com