Messy Christmas

I have been quite slack in keeping up with my blog this year! Woops! I wanted to post something for Christmas and hope that it encourages you. These thoughts are from a devotional I am sharing with our Woman's ministry at church.

What comes to mind when you think of Christmas? First thoughts... what comes to mind? Gifts, lights, music, family gatherings, yummy food? We have this quaint idea of what Christmas looks like. It is all "holly and mistletoe". But the reality can be quite different. If we give ourselves time to think about what Christmas "is" rather than what it is "supposed to be" we might think of words more like debt, stress, loneliness, loss, regret, fights, complicated families, etc. Let's be honest, sometimes Christmas is a messy affair!

When you think of the very first Christmas what words come to mind? Angels, wise men, shepherds, baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph? We automatically think of a sweet little manger scene.

Recently I had the chance to take my girls on a field trip to an Abby that had 73 different Creche displays from all over the world. Each manger scene was beautifully crafted and pictured relatively the same thing. A quiet little scene where everyone was adoring baby Jesus. But when we take the time to dig a little deeper into the story of Jesus' birth we will find that the first Christmas was a messy affair as well.

Think of these things as they relate to the birth of Jesus. A scandalous pregnant teen mother. A long, painful journey at nine months of pregnancy. A difficult, first time birth on a filthy cave floor surrounded by the stench of dung and sweaty animals. Imagine using bug infested straw as the only ground cover for your birth. Think of placing your newborn baby in a rickety old feeding trough because there was nowhere else to lay him where he wouldn't get trampled underfoot by the animals. And the first visitors to see this newborn king? The very dregs of society. Men who slept with sheep and seldom bathed, were the first to hold this precious child. Then a crazed king plots to hunt down and kill Jesus causing the slaughter of hundreds of innocent baby boys who were ripped right out of their mother's arms. A whole city grieved and weept for the loss. Truly the first Christmas was a messy affair.

But here is my point. We think that everyone has it together. We go to church and only see those around us when they are at their best. Best dressed, best smiles, best worship... We think we should have our act together like "so and so" who sits up front with her flawless makeup and heart of praise. But the reality , if we look deeper, is we have our messes!

Psalm 40:2 says "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of a miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings"

We were all rescued from a pit. A pit of sin, pain, brokenness, heartache or loss. Every single one of us. That is the whole point! Jesus left the glory of heaven to rescue us from our horrible pit, and miry clay that was sucking us down. Almighty God with all His glory and power, all His wisdom and strength, His peace and hope. In His righteousness and justice compelled by His love, looked down and saw us. He saw the loneliness, abuse, loss, divorce, heartbreak, fear, doubt, depression and grief... He saw it all and He came as a baby in a manger.

Philipians 2:7 says Jesus made himself of no reputation, and took on himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men

He came born of a virgin who's life was filled with scandal, in a stable filled with filth. He was greeted by the dregs of society and hunted by a crazed king. His birth was surrounded by death and loss. All so that he could pull us out of our messy pit and set our feet on a solid rock.

Isaiah 61:1-3 referring to Jesus says "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek, the poor and afflicted; he has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those that are bound;... to comfort all that mourn;... to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit..."

The reason I celebrate Christmas with such joy isn't because it comes neatly wrapped in perfect holiday cheer. But rather, because God in all His mercy and grace looked down on this mess I call life and, in His great love, sent His son as a baby in a manger to bring me everlasting hope. He took my broken heart and made it whole. He took a hurting, abused girl from a broken home and gave her peace and hope and a reason to rejoice.

Life is messy. If your life is a mess right now remember, that first Christmas was a messy affair as well. Jesus came to give you forgiveness, hope and peace. He came and reached down into your horrible pit so he could set your feet on a rock to stay.

So maybe this year we shouldn't wish each other a "merry" Christmas, but rather a "messy" Christmas as a reminder of the hope Jesus brings to our mess filled lives. Truly we have every reason to rejoice this Christmas. "For God so greatly loved the world that he gave up his only son that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life"

I wish you a Messy Christmas!