What Will Your Christmas Miracle Be?

It feels like there has been one long frenzy of Christmas preparation since the back-to-school sales ended. We are barraged with Cyber Monday, Black Friday, free shipping, sales, coupons, catalogues and anything else you can imagine that will influence us to buy more stuff.
 
All this messy busyness does not leave any time or place for quietly anticipating the birth of the Christ Child. It’s time to ignore the decorating, the baking, the buying and the parties. The most important thing you and I can do to prepare for Christmas is to remember why we’re celebrating Christmas—the miracle birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
 
In the chaos of this season, it takes an intentional effort to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. It takes an intentional effort to have a spirit that’s ready to worship the Christ of Christmas. It takes an intentional effort to keep Advent holy and reverent.
 
One way to focus on Advent is to spend some unhurried time reading through the Advent story in Luke Chapter 1. It is a beautiful account of faith and miracles as we hear about the preparations for the coming of the Messiah.
 
The story starts when the Angel Gabriel visits Zechariah in the temple and tells him that he and his wife, Elizabeth will have a child they will name John. Zechariah is so astonished at this miracle, he doubts the angel and is struck speechless.
 
The story continues when the Angel Gabriel visits Mary in Nazareth. The Angel's greeting is the first part of the Hail Mary. "And coming to her, he said, 'Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you’" (Luke 1:28.)
 
The next part of the story is when Mary visits Elizabeth and we hear the second part of the Hail Mary in Elizabeth’s greeting from Luke 1:41-42: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’"
 
Through these faithful people we can see that God works miracles in situations humans would think impossible. Elizabeth was an older woman considered to be barren and according to the Bible, both she and her husband were “advanced in years.”  And in Mary’s case, she became pregnant, even though she was a virgin.
 
So instead of worrying about all the things you have to do before Christmas, think about the blessings behind what we are celebrating. The miracle of Jesus Christ—the tiny infant in the manger—is the greatest gift we’ll ever receive and it’s all we really need.
 
Despite what the world is throwing at us, none of the chaotic preparations for Christmas mean much in the light of eternity, which is what Christmas is really all about.
 
Stay in the Advent season and put aside the busyness.  It’s the only way you can be open to the small miracles God has planned especially for you during this season of preparation.