O Holy Night

2002 Advent Devotion Collection

December 28
READING: Psalm 31.21-24

Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD. Psalm 31.24

I'm writing this on a rainy, gloomy day in late October, and I have procrastinated as usual, and I'm late! I've been so swamped with family matters to take care of that I almost didn't get this written at all. But, something in the reading of this passage inspires me to "go that extra mile." It's so easy to get lost in the busy-ness of the wold we live in that taking time to read or write, or even contemplate, becomes impossible.

I had a three day weekend in Wisconsin recently, and after leaving the Interstates for the two lane roads, I felt pure pleasure in what I saw. My memories of many summers spent there while I was growing up were of beautiful winding roads dotted with pristine farms and peaceful quiet. And guess what? It looks and seems virtually unchanged.

I have more going on in my life than I'd like but in talking to friends and family, I find I'm not alone in feeling this way. After September 11 of last year, I heard a lot of talk about getting back to the "basics," but for a lot of us, talking about it is a lot easier than doing it. I need to find a way to strengthen myself without taking off for Wisconsin every weekend.

Now, what has this to do with Christmas? Well, personally I'd like to look for the meaning of Christmas rather than groaning when I think of the work involved with it. I want to remember what the Holiday signifies, and not what it has become in an increasingly commercial world. I want to find the strength to truly enjoy it.

PRAYER: Lord, help us to remember what Christmas really means. Give us the courage to find the true spirit of the season even when we feel we may have lost it. Amen. -- Judy B.

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