Hey there! My name is Stacy Lowe, and I’m one of the study leaders for our next P31 OBS, Because of Bethlehem by Max Lucado.
Picture this …
Thanksgiving is over. It’s time to swap out your cornucopia for a Christmas tree and kick off the holiday season. You head out to the mall and quickly find the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Your homemade cookies and pastries come out of the oven looking magazine-worthy. The carols are sung in perfect tune and harmony. All the world is aglow in peace, and as you finally settle in for the big day, snowflakes begin gently falling from the sky, enveloping you and yours in a blanket of wintery bliss.
Ahhh, a picture-perfect Christmas!
Except in reality …
The lights on your Christmas tree stop working. The cookies burn in the oven. You have to rush out for a last-minute gift, settling for whatever you can find on the picked-over shelves. And instead of snow, try a torrential downpour instead. You’re in a bad mood and by this point, you’re just counting down the moments until December 26 when things will go back to normal.
Does that sound a bit more familiar?
The truth is, we don’t live in a picture-perfect world, yet so many of us hit December and expect everything to go exactly according to plan. When our expectations don’t match reality, we become frustrated and disappointed, and the joy of the season slips away before it ever really begins.
Maybe the problem is we’re looking for the wrong thing. We’re seeking out perfection where it never has and never will exist.
But we don’t need a perfect Christmas. We need a perfect SAVIOR. And we have Him in the form of Jesus Christ. HE is meant to be both the reason and source of our joy, not just at Christmas, but the whole year through.
So before jumping full-speed into the Christmas season, let’s first take some time to pause and reflect. Not just on Jesus in a manger, but Jesus as God in the flesh, Jesus as our reason to worship, Jesus as our friend, Jesus as our hope for eternity. Let’s learn what it means to truly take hold of the lasting joy that’s meant to be ours.
Are you ready to let go of the perfect Christmas and embrace the perfect Savior? Then join us as together we aim to make this the most meaningful Christmas ever!
Stacy
Reflect and Respond:
What about this study excites you the most? Who will you invite to join with you?
Giveaway!
Share this post to invite others, then be sure to comment on today’s blog. Each comment will enter you to win TWO copies of our study book, one for you and one for a friend! Three winners will be randomly selected and notified within 3 days via a reply to their comment on this blog.