“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” Luke 2:16 (NIV)

“Hurry up! We’re going to be late for school/the Christmas concert/the shops/etc”

 As Christmas draws near, we have great expectations of a holiday with family and friends but it is also filled with busyness, people to visit, things to do, stuff to buy, food to bake and bills to pay! The merry season soon fills up with stress and headaches as we try to fit so much in. With overloaded calendars, the real reason for the season gets crowded out. Do you ever wonder if the original Christmas characters realised one day the celebration of Jesus’ birth would become so hurried and hassle filled?

Now there definitely was hurry present that night. But instead of hurrying to the Plaza, people hurried to spend time with Jesus. And once they were there I imagine they looked on in quiet awe as they spent time with the Saviour of the world.

The challenge for us is to capture that same awe and reverence, spending time with Jesus at Christmas. Perhaps this Christmas could have a deeper meaning for you and be a time to be strengthened spiritually as you pause in the mayhem and reflect on what that very first Christmas means to you.

As I write this on the 1 December, my husband and I began reading the gospel of Luke in the Bible. With 24 chapters, we will finish reading it by Christmas day. It is one way to pause and reflect on the birth and life of Christ. Why not pray as you read and reflect on each chapter and ask God to help you grasp who God is and what He has done for you? Why not set aside a couple of hours on a Sunday morning to check out your local church? These are all positive ways to really connect with the Christmas season.

I pray that as school ends and Christmas begins that you and your family enjoy a very special holiday filled with the love, joy and peace that Jesus came into the world to bring.

Pastor Fi and the Pastoral team