Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

We are now but a few days away from Christmas (four to be exact!), thus, everyone is very busy. The roads are filled with travelers. The stores are filled with shoppers. Our homes are becoming filled with cookies, chocolates, and gifts. The frenetic pace with which we move about easily overwhelms the calm and beauty of the season.   Yes, it is almost Christmas! But, be of good cheer!   The traffic, crowds, and tension we might feel is pretty reflective of what the first Christmas must have been like.   After all, when for the first time it was almost Christmas, the whole nation of Israel was upside down.   A decree from Rome had forced everyone to go back to the town of their ancestry to register in a census—all at the same time! Thus, when it was almost Christmas—almost time for Jesus to be born—Joseph and Mary had to take the long and difficult trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem.   They had to get on the road and into the middle of the traffic. They had to figure

Christmas is supposed to be a season of joy. It’s supposed to be filled with singing, smiles, presents, and the presence of our loved ones.   But, we all know how quickly it can turn into a season of rushing, shopping, and maybe even some shoving. Worse than that, for some this time of the year can turn into a very sad time as their loneliness and loss rise to the surface.   Placed on a backdrop of bright lights, sleigh rides, and tables filled with laughter, the sadness and brokenness of one’s heart can easily become magnified.   For some, maybe more than we’d like to admit, the Christmas season is hardly a season of joy. If you think about it, the time leading up to the birth of Jesus was hardly a joyful time. No one was celebrating his impending birth. Rather, Roman oppression, taxes that were soaking the lifeblood out of the people, and then a forced movement of the people across the nation all created great confusion and hardship.   Mary and Joseph were caug

Last night, Kim and I were preparing our Christmas cards and the short family update letter we send out each year. We send out almost 100 cards to people, who for the most part, we don’t really get to see through the year. It can be a lot of work to send out that many cards.   We have to choose the right photo for the card, get the cards printed, write up the letter, print out and stick on address labels (and return address labels), put the stamps on and get them to the post office. It takes a lot of planning and preparation.   If you think about it, this whole month of December is one of preparation as we prepare for Christmas Day.   We decorate our homes, shop for gifts, bake cookies, plan out meals, send out invitations, etc., all in preparation of our celebrations of Christmas.   We prepare for Christmas services at the church. We prepare for our home gatherings. We prepare to travel to our family or friends. We prepare and prepare and prepare…! Each of the gos