Stop, Look and Go Tell

For a short while on Friday, I allowed myself to get caught up in the holiday traffic frenzy and search out Christmas sales that included long check-out lines. I really endeavored to be “holly jolly" with my best attitude while keeping “all is calm, and all is bright” in my heart!

We’re officially in the countdown to Christmas! We’re making our lists and checking them twice. We’re scanning the deals on Amazon and other online sources. We have already hung the stockings on the fireplace mantel, started our Christmas baking….and somewhere in the mix, we ponder our upcoming family times together. Perhaps we’ll soon be headed over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house!

But, please STOP and remember the trek to Bethlehem. If we choose to keep Christ in Christmas –- no matter what else we need to make happen, it is essential we include the storyline of the newlywed couple, Joseph and Mary, their journey to Bethlehem, and, ultimately, the night their baby boy was born.

Today, the second Sunday of Advent, the second purple candle on the Advent wreath will be lit. It represents faith. It is called the “Bethlehem Candle” as a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and the preparations they made for Jesus’ birth.

Can we even imagine the faith it took for them to set out on a 90-day trip to Joseph’s hometown, Bethlehem, to register in the Roman census? Joseph and Mary undoubtedly had the “essentials” together. After all we know there were swaddling clothes on hand. Talk about responsibility! Imagine the weight on Joseph’s shoulders of taking care of Mary and their soon-to-be-born Son of God.

A 90-mile journey! WHAT? Obstetricians don’t want women to travel by air if the expectant mother is more than 7 months pregnant. Imagine Mary – nearing the end of her pregnancy and having to ride a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

As awful the journey with the discomfort and difficulty, no doubt it was all a part of God's plan given in Jeremiah’s words in verse 29:11 “Oh the plans God has for you, plans to prosper you (think about the gold, frankincense and myrrh wealth they received from the three kings) and not harm you (think about how God ensured Jesus was safe when King Herod put out the edict for the baby boys to be killed), but give you hope and a future.” Think about the hope and future Christ’s life, death and resurrection presented to us!

For many of us, the days leading up to Christmas are among the busiest of the year. We don’t relish interruptions to our plans at any time, and especially not now. Like with the birth of Christ in less than perfect conditions, God uses “stuff” and "situations" to accomplish His purposes.

May I suggest that we purpose to slow down and breathe in the Reason for this Miracle season – stopping, looking and listening for gentle nudges of Father God Who desires for His kids to breathe in the beauty of our Lord’s birth story, and then GO exhale Him to our world that needs His hope, faith, love, joy and peace so very much.

This second Sunday of Advent encourages us to STOP, if only for a few minutes during this busiest time of the year, to think and be thankful for the ONE we are celebrating. Anything that causes us to STOP and think and be thankful is a good addition to Advent, since that’s what Advent is, of course: a time to stop and wait when the world is telling us to go faster and faster!

It will soon be Christmas Day when we will celebrate our Lord’s sacrifice of coming to this earth as a baby AND His coming back to take us home to live with Him throughout all eternity. May we STOP and know the baby in the manger is the Great "I AM"!