As last minute lists, errands, and bustling hits full swing this week before what many of us consider the greatest day of the year... I do, anyway. What is there really left to do? What is there left to do in the spirit of Advent?
What if our lists were more centered around the parts of us unprepared for such a tremendous moment in the year for our
hearts, our growth? What would those lists look like? And, how do we make sure
we can siphon out all of the extraneous intrusions that hijack our deeper look
into it?This year I've been on the ball with the little things. I've had all of my gifts for weeks, everything is somewhat orderly... I'm pretty much ready. But, I'm not ready. I know I'm not all ready. I'm getting there, but there's a list of a different sort I know I need to make sure is complete.
When I think about Holy Preparation, I think about John the Baptist. He Was Holy Preparation. He embodied it. He prepared the World for the Son of God. And, how? And, how would John the Baptist trail-blaze in our hearts to prepare them for Him this Christmas?
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make
straight paths for him.’
What would John do to prepare my heart?
1. He'd come to me from the wildness of nature.
2. He'd announce the coming of the Lord-- embarrassingly loud and unconcerned with societal expectation, John would come boldly, telling me to make straight my paths-- make a path directly to Jesus. Cut out ANY of the fuss that gets in the way of this.
3. He'd Baptize me- He'd do this to clean me up, but I think, especially he'd do this so that I might allow myself rid of the guilt that comes with sin, making sure I didn't have that in the way of receiving the greatest of gifts. He'd Baptize me physically so that I might allow myself to accept the fact that God sees me as clean and pure.
What does this mean for me this week? How do I channel my own inner John the Baptist?
1. Get outside. A lot. Look up and marvel. “A voice of one calling in the wilderness"
2. Cut the path straight to Jesus. Forget the other lists until this one is taken care of. Remembering the needy. Taking care of our brothers and sisters. BE Christmas.
3. Get rid of any nasty thoughts, pettiness, and materialism. Spend time by or in water. Feel the beauty of the way God created my pure heart. Accept it.
This I think, This is my last to-do list for
Christmas.
