Are you ready for Christmas?

I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve been asked this question so far this year. The question even began before Thanksgiving. At that point, the question was, “Are you ready for the holidays?” Now, people want to know “Are you ready for Christmas?”

I’ve noticed that many people use the question as a greeting or as a good way to begin a conversation. In this case, they are simply being nice. By the way, I am blessed that I don’t see many people who aren’t trying to be nice.

Other people really want to know if I’ve bought gifts, decorated (I don’t do any of that), and generally prepared for a busy time.

Just in case you really want to know, I am generally ready for Christmas. You also need to know I don’t do much in terms of gift buying and decorating.

So, let me turn this question and ask you if you are ready for Christmas? Let me do this with a different intent.

Are you spiritually ready for Christmas?

Are you looking for ways to turn this time toward Christ? Are you worshiping and adoring Him?

I’ve found that I am most ready for Christmas when I slow down and really consider what all this means. Reading Scripture, worshiping with the family of God, spending time in prayer, and meditating on Scripture and what Christ has done for me really gets me ready for Christmas.

Like Mary and Joseph, I do not always understand the deep meaning of what has happened in my life, but like them I want to treasure these things in my heart.

In the temple, they asked Jesus, ” ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.’ And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:48-51).