Monday Morning Memo: The Morning After

If you are reading this on Monday morning…you are more than likely tired.   You have survived another Christmas.  The bottom of the tree might now look bare…ripped off wrapping paper may cover your carpet…and your belt might need to be loosened from all your overeating.

I wonder if that’s what it was like the morning after the first Christmas.  Yes, I’m sure Mary was tired from giving birth the day before and Joseph was probably feeling the effects of watching his beloved Mary endure the pain of childbirth.  But I have to believe there wasn’t any letdown the morning after Jesus’ birth.  I can’t imagine that these new parents felt harried from the events of the past days or experienced depression because the big event was now over. Their focus during those days leading up to His birth had been on making sure they were prepared for His arrival.  Nothing else mattered. All the good times and the bad times before that big day were now just a blur as they held their precious baby in their arms.

I wonder if the reason we sometimes feel a letdown the day after Christmas is because our focus leading up to this celebration wasn’t on Him.  Could it be that we were more intentional on making sure the gifts for our friends and family were bought and wrapped, the food was all prepared and the parties were all attended…than on waiting with anticipation to celebrate Christ’s birth?  Oftentimes, we are so exhausted by the time Christmas finally arrives, that we just put ourselves on autopilot to get through the day…knowing we can collapse when it is all over.

If that is where you find yourself today, it’s not too late to refocus.  Take some time to read the following thoughts that I shared with you several years ago on what it might have been like to talk with Mary after she gave birth to her baby Jesus. As a mother myself, I can imagine that she was bursting with pride as she held her son for the very first time. I can’t help but believe that if anyone would have wandered by that stable those many years ago, that Mary would have said something similar to these words:

“I’m sorry to bother you. I know you are all so busy, but I just have to tell someone. You see, just a few short hours ago, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. He’s the most gorgeous baby I’ve ever seen. He has dark curly hair, and chubby cheeks, and 10 fingers and 10 toes! I think he may even have my eyes!

It’s been such a long nine months. I’ve had so many different feelings and emotions. First, I had an angel tell me that I was going to have a baby and that I was to call him Jesus. The angel said that my baby would be great and he would be the Son of God. Of course, that was just the beginning. I had terrible morning sickness those first few months, and then once I started showing, I was the talk of the village. I could feel people staring and whispering behind my back. There were days that I wondered why I was chosen for this and why didn’t people believe me when I told them that I was carrying the Son of God? I guess it did sound pretty unbelievable.

But you know, when I held my baby Jesus in my arms for the first time, it made it all so worthwhile. Did I tell you how beautiful he is? I can hardly wait to see him smile for the first time and see him take his first step and say his first word.

I do worry some about how others will treat my son. I wonder if they will love him like I do. The angel told Joseph that Jesus was the Messiah and he was coming to save the people from their sins. Will they listen to him? I wonder if they will realize how much God must love them to send this child into the world to save them. Will they turn from their wicked ways or will they reject him? I wonder... what will you do?

Well, I hear my baby crying and I must go and see what he needs. I do want you to see him and to know him personally. I want so desperately for him to be a part of your life.

By the way, did I tell you how beautiful he is?”

What a night that must have been and what a “morning after” they must have experienced. You and I can also feel the same closeness to the Savior as they felt so many years ago just hours after His birth.  Let’s make an effort today to spend more time at the manger with our Messiah and savor the moments with Him.  I’m thinking that if we are intentional on keeping our focus on Him…our spirit will be refreshed and our soul will be renewed!

P.S.  It will soon be five years since I began writing a weekly blog post and to my knowledge I haven’t missed a week.  There have been times when I haven’t had a clue as to what I was supposed to write about…but the Lord has always been faithful to guide and direct me.  I’ve now decided to do something I haven’t done before and that is to take a month off…so I will not be blogging now until February.  I’m feeling like my spirit needs a rest to refuel and be re-inspired.  So it’s not goodbye…just “talk to you later” in February!  Happy New Year everyone!!