It's January... Now What?

I love decorating the Christmas tree and going through all the ornaments.  Unwrapping each handmade one brings back memories of tiny hands and sticky crafts.  But there’s something I love even more...  putting it all away! Lol! I might be a bit weird, but there’s something about getting your house back to normal after the holidays that straight up makes me giddy!  I am all about sweeping up the pine needles and little bits of wrapping paper from under the table.  Tenderly wrapping up the ceramic Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the rest of the gang from the Nativity set in bubble wrap? Yes, please!

It can be so easy to clean up the mess the holidays leave behind and simply move on.  Pack it up and put it back in storage.  We can box it all up then set it aside until next December.  And you know, I think we can often do that with the message of this treasured season too. But isn’t that missing the point?  If you are heading into the new year, putting the lessons of the season in a box to collect dust (and stink bugs, ok, maybe that is just at my house) you may want to reconsider...

Let’s take a look at the wise men and follow their example.  “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” Matthew 2:11-12 (NIV)

First we see that the wise men bowed down and worshipped Jesus.  And then as good guests usually do, they presented Him with gifts. But verse 12 is what has been really jumping out at me as 2018 begins.  The wise men were warned not to go back to Herod so they returned to their country by another route. Perhaps taking the backroads as opposed to the interstate? (I’m kidding!)

When we meet with Jesus... When we worship Him, presenting our hearts to Him as our gift...  Do we go back to life as usual? Or do we return to life by another route?

Here’s the thing, if we pack up and put away all this Christmas season has done in our hearts.  If we set it aside and get back to the normal routine – we have missed the point.  We are heading back to Herod so to speak.

I don’t know about you but I want to come away from Christmas changed. My desire is to allow the transformation to take hold and stick with me. I want to carry that sparkle with me year-round!

So let’s break into this new year leaving a trail of glitter behind us!  Let’s carry Christmas in our hearts all year long.  May we all return to our “country” by another route – the Jesus route.  Changed and transformed! Never the same again...

Thank You Jesus for all You have done for us! Because of You, our lives are forever changed! Thank You that we can come into Your Presence.  One encounter with You and everything changes.  May we not return to our broken ways of living life but live life for You “by another route”.  Jesus, it is in Your mighty name we pray... Amen!

Post by: Marcy Gates