(Advent Devotion 2005)
Galatians 5:22-23 The Message
We mothers sometimes hurry through the holidays forgetting what the season is really all about. We often lament that “other people” do not really understand the reason for the season. But what do us as Christian mothers DO to promote a heart for Christ in our children? We SAY we want our children to know the true meaning of Christmas, but our actions and often our words demonstrate a very different meaning. Let’s listen in on three conversations that could have happened on the very night of Christ’s birth. Do we see ourselves?
Standing in line for hotel reservations…
“Mama When can we go out and play with the other children?”
“Maaaammmmaaaa, I want to go out and see what the vendors have for sale”
“Mom, I want to see if I can find my friends”
“Hush children, evidently the couple ahead of us in line did not have the forethought to make reservations. They should have known Bethlehem would be busy and the hotels would be full. The family of David is a big family and we all had to come here for the census. You would think they would have planned ahead. Look how near she is to giving birth,”
Hamm! I wish they would hurry up! This baby needs her nap. I am so tired of tending to all of you. Where is your father? Over there around the camp fire with the other men “chewing the fat” I suppose. And they say we women like to talk!”
A few miles away. . .
“Where are those boys?” I told them to have those sheep back in the pasture near our home before dark! Teenage boys – you can’t live with them you can’t shoot them! Levi! Where are your sons? They act just like you and your brothers did at that age. This is all your fault. I told all of you I was fixing a special supper to celebrate the good fortune Yahweh has given us with such a fine heard of sheep. How can we celebrate with no sheep and no family? I work my fingers to the bone around here and not one appreciates it.! Is this how a family shows love to their family?”
A few months later . . .
“Son, You paid those wise men handsomely to return and tell you of this new king who is going to over throw your authority. Where are they? That’s what you get for trusting foreigners. I knew they looked shifty eyed! When are you going to listen to your mother?”
Mothers and Christmas – We work so hard to make things nice for our children. We plan special meals, we take special trips, we buy special gifts and all we really need to do is show love.
The same Love that came down to Bethlehem and found a room in a stable behind an inn because his parent’s did not make reservations; the same Love that distracted a bunch of teenage shepherds and led to away from home to see this tiny bundle of Love; this same Love that steered wise men off their course and caused them to bring gifts to an unlikely King.
Love came down and CHRISTmas can fill our soul with love. May this Advent be a time that you and your family focus on the real love of God and not just the weak human gestures we call love.
Dear Lord, I am so blessed to be a mother. Help me in my weakness to express to my children your love; a love that they will feel deeply in their souls and a love that they can pass on to others. Help me to not get caught up in the hurriedness of the holidays that I forget to hug my children and encase them in arms that represent the very arms of Your Son that stretched out on a cross to demonstrate the Love you have for us.
We mothers sometimes hurry through the holidays forgetting what the season is really all about. We often lament that “other people” do not really understand the reason for the season. But what do us as Christian mothers DO to promote a heart for Christ in our children? We SAY we want our children to know the true meaning of Christmas, but our actions and often our words demonstrate a very different meaning. Let’s listen in on three conversations that could have happened on the very night of Christ’s birth. Do we see ourselves?
Standing in line for hotel reservations…
“Mama When can we go out and play with the other children?”
“Maaaammmmaaaa, I want to go out and see what the vendors have for sale”
“Mom, I want to see if I can find my friends”
“Hush children, evidently the couple ahead of us in line did not have the forethought to make reservations. They should have known Bethlehem would be busy and the hotels would be full. The family of David is a big family and we all had to come here for the census. You would think they would have planned ahead. Look how near she is to giving birth,”
Hamm! I wish they would hurry up! This baby needs her nap. I am so tired of tending to all of you. Where is your father? Over there around the camp fire with the other men “chewing the fat” I suppose. And they say we women like to talk!”
A few miles away. . .
“Where are those boys?” I told them to have those sheep back in the pasture near our home before dark! Teenage boys – you can’t live with them you can’t shoot them! Levi! Where are your sons? They act just like you and your brothers did at that age. This is all your fault. I told all of you I was fixing a special supper to celebrate the good fortune Yahweh has given us with such a fine heard of sheep. How can we celebrate with no sheep and no family? I work my fingers to the bone around here and not one appreciates it.! Is this how a family shows love to their family?”
A few months later . . .
“Son, You paid those wise men handsomely to return and tell you of this new king who is going to over throw your authority. Where are they? That’s what you get for trusting foreigners. I knew they looked shifty eyed! When are you going to listen to your mother?”
Mothers and Christmas – We work so hard to make things nice for our children. We plan special meals, we take special trips, we buy special gifts and all we really need to do is show love.
The same Love that came down to Bethlehem and found a room in a stable behind an inn because his parent’s did not make reservations; the same Love that distracted a bunch of teenage shepherds and led to away from home to see this tiny bundle of Love; this same Love that steered wise men off their course and caused them to bring gifts to an unlikely King.
Love came down and CHRISTmas can fill our soul with love. May this Advent be a time that you and your family focus on the real love of God and not just the weak human gestures we call love.
Dear Lord, I am so blessed to be a mother. Help me in my weakness to express to my children your love; a love that they will feel deeply in their souls and a love that they can pass on to others. Help me to not get caught up in the hurriedness of the holidays that I forget to hug my children and encase them in arms that represent the very arms of Your Son that stretched out on a cross to demonstrate the Love you have for us.
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