Tis’ the Season!
What a wonderful time of year! Who am I kidding? I can be one of the biggest scrooges this time of year. I guess I am probably a product of the environment in which I was raised. Every Christmas seemed like a perpetual battle. “Whose family are we going to see?” “On what days?” “How long will we stay at each family’s house?” “How quickly can we get to the next place without getting a ticket?” “Who all do we have to buy for?” “Which family was that for again?” “How much is this going to cost us?” “That cost HOW MUCH?!” And on and on and on it went. Does any of this sound familiar? It is this time of year that we get so wrapped up in the who, what, where and how much, that we forget what is going on around us.
It is this time of year (and only this time of year), where you can go into most malls or department stores and hear music that you might even sing in church. It is this time of year where you can drive down the streets and see nativity scenes proudly displayed in all sorts of areas. It is this time of year where Christmas Carols proudly proclaim the coming of a Savior in a manger. It is also a good time of year to set in order family traditions. The things that you do one year with your children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and/or cousins, can become lasting, lifelong traditions that impact generations in the future of your family.
Can I share a brief testimony? I recently got to spend some time with missionary Jonathan Johnson, where we discussed living intentionally for the gospel, family worship, and family traditions started around Christmas time. Strange assortment of topics, I’m sure. During this time we were discussing Advent Devotionals for families, (Advent simply means the coming of Jesus, no secular or ecumenical or protestant affiliations to be afraid of) and how many great free devotionals and even some very cheap ones that were great. He told me that’s what started their family worship time that is integral to their daily lives now. They started one December and did a short daily devotional each night of the month. It was great. Then came January. They sat around and looked at one another and said well now what do we do?
They decided to continue on and do different devotionals every night not just for the month of December. You see this simple family tradition that started in this season became not just a holiday tradition but a lifelong legacy that this family started. It was through this family devotional time that their oldest daughter Mary Beth came to know Christ as her personal Savior recently, that she shared with this church.
My family and I have picked up a free advent devotional and are hoping this is one tradition that supersedes this holiday season, and becomes a family legacy. (For the record we are not perfect we have already missed some days but no need to get discouraged, just pick it up and keep going.)
So remember “Tis’ the Season” to start traditions and family legacies that may have an eternal impact on those around you. Keep that in mind as we near the celebration of our Savior, King, Eternal Hope, Immanuel, and Messiah who was and is and is to come! Praise the Lord!
Psalm 78:1-4, “Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.”
Bro. Grant
