Can it be that we are deep in December?
As I’ve said many times I really love the “Christmas season.” Yet there are things about it that certainly make it difficult to stay focused, spiritually. But yet again, is that so different from any other month or “season” or “holiday”?
I’m sure that one of the problems for most of us is that there is so much extra we feel we must do at this time of the year. The preaching theme for the month is “Following the STAR…”. In the life of the church we provide quite a few special elements designed to help us stay focused. Even the theme is designed to do that. Those special elements include our children’s choir presentation (Dec. 11), the “Gift of LOVE” (providing Christmas gifts for LOTS of children who would otherwise go without—more than 180 of them this year!), caroling (scheduled for Dec. 18), and, of course, our Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Services (5 & 7 PM, Dec. 24—in case you’ve forgotten when Christmas Eve is :)). That doesn’t include countless parties, fellowship dinners & other events, and the extra elements in almost every Sunday morning service!
Then, there are the extra things we do with our families, as well as friends outside the church, along with the “office” parties, etc. And did I mention the hours we spend in shopping and wrapping gifts and selecting Christmas trees and decorating and baking and planning for trips or school events, etc., etc., etc.
WHEW!!! It’s tough to stay focused when there are so many built-in distractions! It helps me appreciate why the bears and other furry friends hibernate all winter long!
It’s something of a modified cliché that reminds us that “LIFE Happens!” Indeed it does. And it happens at ever-increasing speed, it seems to me. That’s part of the reason Jesus warns us about worrying about tomorrow, and that God prompted the psalmist to pray, “[Lord…] teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalms 90:12).
OK, it’s “the season,” and I pray that all of us will make the time necessary to “follow the STAR” to Jesus! I hope 2 C U SONday and throughout this beautiful season so full of promise and hope in our dark world.
LOVE, PEACE & JOY to the World,
Ron (PROB’LY) Mobley