Thanksgiving is in the books. Christmas is a memory and we are now well into the New Year. The resolutions we made January 1st have probably been broken and we are either, “well, I made it longer than last year” or “how did I already break that resolution?”
With the New Year we have seen the holiday decorations at the house taken down, wrapped up and put into storage, the Christmas tree taken down, boxed up and stored up in the attic (or thrown to the curb if a real tree).
Outside the lights are taken off the roof, the yard inflatables put in the tote and the manger scene put in the barn. Neighbor hoods, Main Street down town and the local parks that were once lit up and decorated for the Christmas season are back to being plain and mostly nondescript scenery.
Gone are the decorations and winter is ever upon us. It’s cold outside. The grass is dormant and brown. The trees are bare of leaves and gone into winter hibernation as well. When you look outside it is just…well…kind of plain and BLAH!
Sometimes I can see why depression sets in for some people. This is not the most exciting time of the year. The decorations we did have to add a little beauty have been packed, boxed or stored until the next year.
Even Walmart has moved on to the next season. The day after Christmas, when returns and exchanges are in full swing, sales associates are moving the Christmas merchandise to the markdown and clearance isle, all the while setting out the Valentine candy, cards and various merchandise.
It seems like our society moves on from one thing to the next with no problem. We don’t seem to spend anytime reflecting on what just occurred or we experienced. It is like we have a check list we go through. Thanksgiving…decorations up, December…enjoy decorations and prepare for parties, programs and presents, New Year’s… decorations down prepare for Valentines. Next it is Spring, Easter, Mothers’ and Fathers’ days, Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and next thing we know it’s Christmas… again.
We take life at the speed of light and give no thought to what is going on. Luckily for us the Bible doesn’t just record Jesus’ birth and move on to the crucifixion. No, we see in the same chapter of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of Luke, Mary and Joseph taking Jesus to the temple for Mary’s purification and Jesus presentation (Luke 2). They encounter Simeon and a prophetess, Anna. Both older and waiting on Messiah. Both make remarkable proclamations about Jesus to Mary and Joseph.
Matthew records the visit of the Magi/Wise Men from the east, bringing gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh and worshiping Him (Matt. 2). This event occurred possible as late as 2 years after Jesus’ birth.
Luke further records in that 2nd chapter of Luke Jesus going to temple with His parents for the Feast of Passover when He was 12 years old. Leaving Jesus, unknowingly, behind and traveling for a day, His parents return to Jerusalem and find Jesus sitting with the teachers listening and asking questions, amazing them all.
My thought is this: if the Bible doesn’t just cover an event and then quickly move on to the next, why should we? Yes, I know, there is a several year pause from Jesus being left in temple to His baptism, temptation and beginning of ministry. But, is there really a gap. Luke 2:5051 tell us Jesus returned with His parents being submissive to them and grew in wisdom, stature and favor with God.
The Bible takes a little bit and enjoys the moment. Luke 2:19 & 51 even says Mary pondered/ treasured all these things in her heart. I like to think she savored the moment and later in life recalled the memory.
We should think about this Christmas. I enjoyed a candle light service where my younger staff led out (and the service was absolutely AMAZING). I got to spend Christmas with my oldest, her husband and the grandkids. Haven’t got to do that in a long time. I got the decorations outside up before Thanksgiving, never done that before. We remembered all the Christmas presents to give out this year (another “been awhile since I did this”). Someone else did the cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas, which hasn’t happened since my mother died. And, I even got to read the Christmas story with the oldest grands, a first!
All of these and so much more made this Christmas so memorable for me. I wish I could go back to a couple weeks and do it all over. I can’t, but I can sit and reminisce, ponder, treasure. Yeah, Valentine’s day, just hang on a few minutes, I’m not done with Christmas yet.
Savoring the Moment Bro. Tim
