In the New Testament gospels of Mark and John, John the Baptist is noted as a voice calling for preparations to welcome the coming of God's Messiah. The prophecy of Isaiah in Chapter 40, verse 3 is referred to: "A voice cries -- 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God!'"
The sense is that the Lord is getting ready to journey into the midst of his peoples' lives, where we are, and a call goes out to prepare the way for his coming and to welcome his arrival.
When a village or a city is getting ready to receive an important personage, such as a governor or a statesman, preparations are made. Obstacles are removed, the way is smoothed and made as accommodating as possible to welcome his coming. Appropriate decorations are set in place, and the people prepare to receive him. Are we preparing for Christmas -- preparing to receive the Lord and to receive His salvation and his gracious purposes toward us?
The season before Christmas is often busy and hectic with our bustling efforts to get ready for Christmas. By "getting ready for Christmas" we commonly mean putting up the tree, putting the ornaments in place, decorating the house, getting our gift shopping done, preparing for our holiday meals, and planning our get-togethers for family and friends. Are we also preparing the place for Christ Jesus himself in our lives and in our celebrations? As we go about taking care of the countless preparations for Christmas festivities, are we making place for the guest of honor?
I once had an experience of having a going away dinner done in my honor. As the dinner began and people were picking up their food, I was going about here and there visiting with people. Then, when I passed by the food table and filled my dinner plate, I looked around, and no place was left for me to sit. All the seats at the tables were taken. Of course I knew nobody intended any slight, and I was honored that so many people had come. I soon obtained an extra chair and found room to make a place at one of the tables. But I admit that it was a funny feeling for some moments there to be the guest of honor but to have no place at the table. Are we making place for Jesus in our Christmas festival? I note that during his ministry Jesus enjoyed being at table with people, sharing with them, lifting their lives to a new level of vision, of compassion, and of encouragement. Are we anticipating the Lord's presence among us as we observe the festival which bears his name? He came as Emmanuel, "God with us!"
One way to prepare for Christmas is to be faithful in attending church, worshiping the Lord in spirit and truth. Reading Scriptures will help -- such prophetic Scriptures as Isaiah 53, Isaiah 40, and Isaiah 61:1-3. Read the beginnings of the gospels, Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, Mark 1:1-3 and John 1:1-23.
Another great way to prepare for Christmas is to sing the Christmas songs. I'm not just thinking here of "Jingle Bells," "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "White Christmas" and "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire." Those songs are fun and have their place in the festivities. But the real Christmas songs are about the Christ, Jesus, the Word made flesh to dwell among us, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Let's sing the songs of Christmas, and not only for the beauty of the music, which is great, but listening to what the songs are telling us and what we have to celebrate at Christmastime.
I have many favorite Christmas songs. Not the least of my favorites is "O Little Town of Bethlehem," written shortly after the Civil War by the Rev. Phillip Brooks. I want to share here two of the stanzas of his great Christmas poem:
"O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord, Emmanuel."
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Editor's note: Jerry Nichols, a native of Pea Ridge, is an award-winning columnist, a retired Methodist minister with a passion for history. He is vice president of the Pea Ridge Historical Society. He can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected], or call 621-1621.
Community on 12/18/2013