Skip to main content

Silent Night

This week we celebrate Christmas. Homes are decorated with sparkling lights, Christmas trees adorned with ornaments, various images of Santa Claus can be found scattered around, and my favorite, the nativity is displayed. If you weren't familiar with our traditions, you could certainly tell something special is being prepared for.  Something special will be celebrated. 

As we know our King is being born.  On Christmas night we remember the night an infant entered the world to change it forever. God has come to live among His people and make things right in His kingdom.  

To us today, it only makes sense to do the things we do at Christmas time. This is one of the most significant nights in human history. Knowing what we know, it seems only right to spend a month preparing and decorating. What better way to honor the gift God gave to us than by giving our friends and family gifts as symbols of our admiration for them. It's only right that this season of giving should consume our hearts, minds, and bank accounts.

What a stark difference to the actual events of the evening and leading up to that special night.  At this point in history, God has been silent to his people for 400 years. To put that in perspective, 400 years is about 20 generations who never heard or saw a prophet.  Rather than the pomp and circumstance we have grown accustomed to experiencing before Christmas, the preparation for the birth of our Lord came by way of silence. No lights, no trees, and no decorations led up to this most important night. 

For Jesus' parents, preparation came by way of a journey. A census had been called and it required families to return to their "hometown". "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child" (Luke 2:4‭-‬5 NIV). Nazareth to Bethlehem meant Joseph must walk 4-5 days to make the journey.  His pregnant bride rode a donkey as he led the way. It would have been a dirty and difficult journey. Only to arrive and find no place to rest.  The only available space is a barn, not meant for people, let alone a king. 

God certainly could have done this in a different way.  He could have engaged a forest of trees and a display of light that would make a Florida lightning storm jealous. Instead God chose silence, an arduous journey, and a humble location for His son and our King to be born. 

As you share in the Christmas festivities, consider setting aside time to be still.  Be quiet and simply be with God. Retreat to the silence, perseverance, and simplicity prevalent in that first Christmas.  

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Matt








Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anchor House: Week 6 Buried Treasure

When I started at Anchor House I committed to write at least one blog per week. Writing is something I enjoy and a way I get to interact with God. I can recall wanting to write about Anchor House in the days before I started, but my knowledge was limited..  To be honest I felt like I knew three things before I joined Anchor House. First,  Anchor House was a mission at Port Manatee (the Seaport, not the jail) Second, I knew it was a mission that my church, Westside Christian Church, supported with our Show Love funds.  Third, I knew God was calling me to serve Him there. However, what happened at Anchor House day to day was something of a mystery to me.   After being here for a few weeks I have learned quite a bit. I know where to look to find out when ships are coming in or departing.  I have learned that I am just tall enough to hit my head where most seafarers don’t. I have learned that flexibility is the key to serving at a seaport. One of th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tables

In the communion and offering meditation, Mindy shared a picture of their family's dinner table. She described the numerous activities that happen around that table. The one she said that stuck out the most to me was forgiveness.  There is one particular table in the Bible that comes to mind. It is where a significant moment in our history occurred. At this table, Jesus is dining with his closest followers, just hours before He will be arrested. He gathers with them to partake in the festival of unleavened bread. During this meal, this table is the stage for truth, betrayal, denial, lies, promise, and forgiveness.   As Jesus identifies his betrayer (Matt 26:20-25) and predicts Peter's denial of Him (Matt 26:31-35), He is fully aware of what is to come. He will pay a ransom to free God's people. Even as these bonds of trust and friendship are broken, Jesus doesn't relent. He still breaks the bread and still drinks of the cup. He offers forgiveness, "T...
Post a Comment
Read more

Waiting

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalms 27:14 NIV Waiting is hard. When you are waiting to take part in an activity you enjoy or are waiting to hear very important news or are waiting for something to arrive, each minute you wait can feel like eternity. In this instant access age, I think it's even harder. We want it now and if we can't get it now we want updates.   If you've ever ordered from Amazon, you know they are experts in this. They send notifications to update you as to where your package is on the delivery route. Once your package arrives, they take a picture and send it to you. That way no matter where you are you get to enjoy knowing your waiting is nearly over.  To me there is no agony like the pain of waiting for a pizza delivery. You're hungry and looking forward to delicious pizza. Time seems to slow. Seconds tick away like minutes and minutes like hours. Many of the pizza chains have added their own update...
Post a Comment
Read more