Daily devotion – the day before Christmas
Great news from our Israel travel company today.
We have been advised that the tourist sites are opening again. I have asked for further clarification and will pass it on once I have received as such.
The last-minute details are just about done for our Christmas preparations. Last day of work about to wrap up before the Christmas holiday break. It’s time to do something really important and needful – Jesus speaks of it in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 6: But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Usually at this time leading up to the day before Christmas we can be pretty weary, a little tense, and even melancholy as we are hoping for our Christmas time together to go as planned. Double checking in our minds that everything that needed to be done has been done!
But our soul needs the nourishment of the Word of God and the presence of being with God and everything else put aside. It’s at this time we can meditate on the nativity story, imagine the cold evening as the shepherds huddled by their fire with the occasional movement and sound of the lambs resting nearby.
Joseph and Mary especially are exhausted and find themselves setting up a birthing area in the midst of farm animals in a stable. Its time!
As you sit in the presence of God the wonder of His love, how He has cared for you and got you through the storms of the past year flood your mind. You are weary physically but now the comfort and refreshing of the Holy Spirit gathers you in His presence. This is the peace that passes all understanding!
You now take time to thank God for those closest to you. You also give thought to those who are no longer with us. God has been so merciful, and you realise again how in your own life that repentance is again needed for the wayward behaviour you have also travelled in days past!
There is nothing like taking time to be with your Heavenly Father in prayer and worship alone!
Again I am reminded of one of my favourite verses in the Bible – Exo 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
Let us take time to be like Joshua this last day before Christmas!