Christmas In Low Gear

At this point in the month of December, the Christmas season is obviously in high gear.  The Christmas cards are coming and being sent. The gifts are being bought and wrapped. Dinner plans are being made. Churches and homes are being decorated. Choirs are practicing. Offices are having their parties.  People scurry here and there trying to squeeze Christmas into whatever time they may have left at the end of their workday.  Yes, it’s Christmas in high gear! 

As many of you know, I love the Christmas season.  I love putting up the tree and decorating the house. I love listening to Christmas music. I even enjoy some of the shopping. But, I know from experience that if we are not careful, when Christmas gets into high gear, we can get so caught up in all the stuff we need to do for Christmas that we can easily neglect the reason why we are doing it. We can spend so much time, energy, and thought on our Christmas lists, to do lists, and menus that we lose sight of what this celebration is really all about.  Sometimes, we need to slow down—go into “low gear”—and, take time to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. 

I want to encourage you today to put Christmas into “low gear” every so often this season. Take time to rest and reflect. Take time to pray. Read through the Christmas narratives found in the gospels. Sit and enjoy the lights on a Christmas tree. And, as you do, give thanks to God for the greatest gift we could have ever received, Jesus the Son of God sent to be our Savior!

To help you put Christmas into “low gear” today, I offer this old Christmas hymn to you. It’s one of my favorites that few churches sing anymore. I want to encourage you to find a quiet place, maybe in front of a Christmas tree, and reflect on it’s lyrics.  And, I pray that the words repeated at the end of the first few verses will ring in your heart throughout this season: “O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee.” 

“Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” by Timothy R. Matthews

1.         Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown,

            when thou camest to earth for me;

            but in Bethlehem's home there was found no room

            for thy holy nativity.

            O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

            there is room in my heart for thee.

2.         Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,

            proclaiming thy royal degree;

            but in lowly birth didst thou come to earth,

            and in greatest humility.

            O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

            there is room in my heart for thee.

3.         The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest

            in the shade of the forest tree;

            but thy couch was the sod, O thou Son of God,

            in the deserts of Galilee.

            O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

            there is room in my heart for thee.

4.         Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word

            that should set thy people free;

            but with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,

            they bore thee to Calvary.

            O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

            there is room in my heart for thee.

5.         When heav'ns arches shall ring and its choir shall sing

            at thy coming to victory,

            let thy voice call me home, saying "Yet there is room,

            there is room at my side for thee!"

            And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,

            when thou comest and callest for me.

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”  (Luke 2:11 – NIV)

Have a great day! And, enjoy the season! 

Pastor Tim Harris

www.pifny.org