Christmas Advent devotion - Keep It Simple - Matthew 11:29-30

Matthew 11:29-30      “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The secret to surviving Christmas? Keep it simple!

I don’t know about you, but I worry about the Christmas standards that a lot of people are setting for themselves and trying to accomplish. Yesterday, one of the young pastors in our Presbytery – whom I greatly respect – wrote to me about this end of year activity being called ‘the season of procurement.’ I couldn’t think of a better description, for it’s a time of procuring more pressure on ourselves as we try to keep up with the latest gadgets, gifts, and God only knows what’s next. We’re killing ourselves trying to be too cute and too kind. It’s not worth it, folks, because next Christmas we’ll have to do something bigger, better, and beyond what we’ve accomplished this year.

Secret Santas, Yankee Gift grabbing, office parties, and a whole host of other ‘festive’ events are wearing us out spiritually, physically, and financially. Instead of relishing the ‘restive’ side to Christmas by simply living each day in Christ’s love, we’re recklessly abandoning our faith to embrace a type of Christmas that Charles Dickens actually invented for Ebenezer Scrooge’s salvation. Indeed, if we go to the Four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we’ll discover that the event which generated Christmas – Christ’s Birth – is not actually recorded in two of the Gospels!

So, to honestly survive Christmas – keep it simple. The only gift we need to focus on is the one that God gifts to the world: His Son Jesus Christ. Everything else is just tinsel and trivial, to be left behind and forgotten as soon as the New Year begins.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we are in a mess of our own making and under pressure that we’ve procured. Instead of pursuing rest in Your Presence, we are restless in pursuing presents. Save us from ourselves and enable us to keep Christmas simple. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask a question, please feel free to send John an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest Christmas drawing called “Christmas Carousel.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6422328553_20ed9ddb3b_b.jpg

Advent Devotions: Embracing Advent - Psalm 115:2

Psalm 115:2    Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?" 

Q:        What’s the best way to keep Christ in Christmas?

A:        Go to church on Sundays.

It always amazes me that so many people complain that Christmas just isn’t the same and yet they never seem to connect their spiritual emptiness with their lack of attendance at Church worship. If they are bombarded with commercial pressure for well over 60 days, then they are bound to be overwhelmed, especially if they don’t take time out to be with the Lord and His people during the season of Advent.

Over the years, I’ve sadly watched young parents crucify themselves emotionally and financially in order to make Christmas perfect for their children. I’ve seen families get frantic and fight over details about who is hosting Christmas dinner this year. And I’ve looked at beleaguered workers and sales people practically killing themselves in order to boost their figures in the last month of the year. In the midst of so much pressure, it’s so much easier to let go of God and miss the point of the whole celebration.

The Church prepares us for Christmas in meaningful, traditional, and time-honored ways. The four Sundays in Advent are worship vehicles to bring us closer to God in peaceful, priceless, and precious ways. Instead of wondering what Christmas is all about and turning it into a nightmare, we honestly and simply need to get with God’s program and make Advent a spiritual adventure where we refocus our lives on Christ.

The Gospel Truth is always this simple. We don’t need to put Christ back into Christmas; He is already there. We need to put ourselves back into Christ – Church gives us that wonderful opportunity every Sunday.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, keep us from the merciless busy-ness of Christmas and lead us to the stillness of God’s Kingdom. Protect us from going overboard in order to please other people and enable us to make and take time to please You. Give us a heart to be in worship on Sundays and open our souls to Your Holy Presence. In your Sacred Name, we sincerely pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is part of John’s New Yorker series. It features Central Park in winter, surrounded by the city’s buildings. If you would like to see a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/5141644080_1b3f84222c_b.jpg

You can also view John’s latest drawings at any time on his art blog, which you will find at http://www.stushieart.wordpress.com