he takes our less and turns it into more...
Every year I try to wait until Thanksgiving before putting out my Christmas decorations. I feel it's only fair to allow Thanksgiving its time to be celebrated. But the day after Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days. I turned on the radio early this morning to find Christmas music playing, and I spent some time this evening putting up the tree and stockings. Christmas is in full swing, and if it were up to me, I'd take the whole month off and spend my time watching Hallmark movies only to take breaks for reading Christmas themed books and a good dose of crafting. But, as it is, I spend my days at work thus cramming all festivities into the weekends and it never fails that the season seems to be over before it starts.
I stood back and surveyed my decorated tree. I wanted to be sure all the gaps were covered up and the ornaments were adequately spaced. I hung three stockings on the fire place, and as I arranged the skirt around the bottom of the tree, I stood back feeling satisfied with my work. It's not much, really. Actually, simple is probably the best word to describe it. A tree that certainly isn't going to show up on the front cover of Better Homes & Gardens, but when the room is dark, it's beautiful. The glow from the hundreds of tiny lights radiated, bringing a warmth that only comes with the season. And although I battled thoughts of "maybe I should do more," the Lord reminded me that sometimes less is more.
Jesus came on a silent night, not Black Friday. A night that wasn't filled with glitter and sparkle and presents galore. The only lights around were the stars, and Mary and Joseph had a front row seat to the night sky as they sat in a simple barn awaiting the birth of their son. The King of Kings. The Messiah. The Savior of the world. That night, less became more.
And as they laid his tiny, fragile body in a manger, hay cushioned his sweet head. It wasn't ideal, he deserved the best of the best, but it was God's provision for what they needed. Surrounded by animals, in the middle of a town that made no room for them, less became more.
If only the others had known, if they had received the invitation, the baby shower would have been huge, the gifts many. But the angel appeared to a few shepherds in the field, and as they showed up to see the Christ child, less became more.
Our Savior stepped down from His throne to bring light into darkness. It's not in the hustle and bustle of the season that we see His face. It's not in the presents, the lights, or the decorations in which He shows up. It was in one little town, in one little stable, that one tiny baby was laid in one wooden manger. And in the simplicity we come to find Jesus because we realize that when we fix our eyes on Him, laying aside all of the things this world has to offer, our hearts are filled with unexplainable joy because He takes our less and turns it into more.
" I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." - Luke 2:10-11
I stood back and surveyed my decorated tree. I wanted to be sure all the gaps were covered up and the ornaments were adequately spaced. I hung three stockings on the fire place, and as I arranged the skirt around the bottom of the tree, I stood back feeling satisfied with my work. It's not much, really. Actually, simple is probably the best word to describe it. A tree that certainly isn't going to show up on the front cover of Better Homes & Gardens, but when the room is dark, it's beautiful. The glow from the hundreds of tiny lights radiated, bringing a warmth that only comes with the season. And although I battled thoughts of "maybe I should do more," the Lord reminded me that sometimes less is more.
Jesus came on a silent night, not Black Friday. A night that wasn't filled with glitter and sparkle and presents galore. The only lights around were the stars, and Mary and Joseph had a front row seat to the night sky as they sat in a simple barn awaiting the birth of their son. The King of Kings. The Messiah. The Savior of the world. That night, less became more.
And as they laid his tiny, fragile body in a manger, hay cushioned his sweet head. It wasn't ideal, he deserved the best of the best, but it was God's provision for what they needed. Surrounded by animals, in the middle of a town that made no room for them, less became more.
If only the others had known, if they had received the invitation, the baby shower would have been huge, the gifts many. But the angel appeared to a few shepherds in the field, and as they showed up to see the Christ child, less became more.
Our Savior stepped down from His throne to bring light into darkness. It's not in the hustle and bustle of the season that we see His face. It's not in the presents, the lights, or the decorations in which He shows up. It was in one little town, in one little stable, that one tiny baby was laid in one wooden manger. And in the simplicity we come to find Jesus because we realize that when we fix our eyes on Him, laying aside all of the things this world has to offer, our hearts are filled with unexplainable joy because He takes our less and turns it into more.
" I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." - Luke 2:10-11
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