I've heard the expression, "the heart of Christmas" before and this year I reflected on what kind of heart I want to have. I read the story of the birth of Christ and realized that different people in the story had different hearts. I hope I can strive to have hearts like they did,. Here are just a few of them:
A Servant's Heart (Mary)
When the angel appeared to her and told her of God's plan, Mary simply said....."I am the Lord's servant." Luke 1:38
I want to have a servant's heart that doesn't hem-haw around and have to question why, when God gives me a task I want to be like Mary and simply say, "I am the Lord's servant" and do it.
An Obediant Heart (Joseph)
"When Joseph awoke, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded him." Matthew 1:24
I want to be quicker at being obediant, not trying to reason everything out and then decide for myself if it's a good idea. When it gets to that point, it's not really obediance at all.
A Praising Heart (Shepherds)
"The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told." Luke 2:20
When God fulfills a promise, I want to remember to give Him the glory and keep praising Him for it. I don't want to think that I am blessed because of what I have done, but because of who He is.
A Searching Heart (Wisemen)
"..and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship Him." Matthew 2:2
I want to never lose the urge to keep searching for more of Him. His mercies are new every morning, He is not some hum-drum boring throne-sitter. He cares enough about me to walk this journey with me. And He cares for you that much too.
I know that the date of Jesus' birth was probably not December 24th. It doesn't matter what date He was born, it just matters that HE WAS BORN. Jesus didn't first exist at the birth. He left Heaven to come to earth. He loved me (and you) so much that He came to this spinning ball of dirt to redeem us with His blood. He has already given you the best gift ever, it's up to you to open it. May you have the most blessed Christmas this year.
