Advent Devotional: Wednesday, December 11, 2024

December 11, 2024

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.

1 Peter 1:8-9

Illustrated by James Martin (Age 11)

“Look! Up in the sky! I think that’s Santa!” I can distinctly remember riding home from Christmas Eve service at about 8 years old when I saw twinkling lights in the sky. I had just sung in the children’s choir and was so excited, probably talking a mile a minute, and completely full of wonder and joy as many children are. It was simply magical as a young child, not understanding the chaos of the busy season or feeling loss or grief, pressures. I was simply experiencing the moments of Christmas, taking in every church service, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” making homemade beaded ornaments, playing Christmas music on the piano. And it makes me wonder, when does that change?

As children we often soak in the love of God, hear the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, and experience the world with pure awe and innocence, unaware of the stresses and responsibilities that can weigh on adults. That transition from magic to mayhem happens gradually as our focus shifts to long to-do lists, emails, texts, deadlines, activities, and expectations. We want our children to experience all the holiday fun, the cookies, lights, events, services, crafts, and gatherings. So much so that those fun moments that we want to be present for can become a checklist on a Post-it Note.

Perhaps to reclaim that childlike magic, we can intentionally connect with what brought us such delight as kids. Maybe it’s allowing moments to turn the Christmas music on and sing loudly, to be silly and make a mess while we cook, to let go of the idea of perfection, to make a set time of the day to walk away from the to-dos. Maybe it’s reading a holiday story with your child, watching an old classic, reliving an old tradition. Or maybe it’s just taking a minute in the crisp evening to look up at the sky and see what wonder and excitement you can feel inside.

The magic isn’t gone. Even though we may still have our own struggles and responsibilities, we also have the love of God who will always be with us. We have hope, wonder, and gratitude in this season. We have those twinkling lights.

Dear God, as we celebrate this season of joy, may we be reminded of the meaning of Christmas, take time to reconnect to you and embrace the joys of simple moments. Teach us to slow down and carry childlike wonder in our hearts. May our faith shine brightly, reflecting Your light. Amen