Wednesday

God with Us this Christmas

I sit in the semi-darkness of a cloudy December day. The bustle of early morning has passed, and, for a brief interlude, quiet has settled over my home like a warm blanket. I hesitate to turn on the light, afraid the brightness will frighten the silence away. 

Silence is precious in this week before Christmas. 

So is solitude. 

Today I’ll babysit for the littles so their mama can shop unhindered. I’ll make a holiday meal for a friend, wash three loads of laundry, and host the final Bible study of the year. I’ll write in the snatches of time between microwave and dryer beeps and answer a dozen phone calls and emails. 

But in this brief moment before the world elbows its way into my day, I sit in silent contemplation. 

Until someone appears in the doorway of my sanctuary. 

Reverent and respectful of this holy pause, he waits quietly until I notice him. 

Emmanuel. 

God with us. 

God with me. 

Always the perfect gentleman, he doesn’t push himself in. He waits to be invited. To sit with me. To share my contemplation. To speak his heart and listen to mine. He adds some thoughts about my day I haven’t considered, takes a task off my  To Do list, and adds one of his own. 

I tell him about the things that weigh heavy on my heart. Wayward family members, strained relationships, financial challenges, health concerns. 

He takes the burdens from me and hands me peace in exchange. 

As the calendar steamrolls toward Christmas, you may not think you have time for quiet contemplation. Do it anyway. Set aside a few quiet moments to fellowship with Emmanuel, the God who is with us. 

It's what Christmas is all about.








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10 comments:

  1. Oh my... I am humbled this morning by the powerful image your words create. They brought me into a moment of silent yearning for God to come take a seat beside me and look upon a heart of godly love, poured out on the pages of a blog. God's blessings, and thank you, Ms. Lori.

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    1. Amen. That was my goal. Praise the Lord.

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  2. Anonymous7:58 AM

    A beautiful post, Lori.

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  3. This is beautiful. Lori, thank you for this encouraging message. Merry Christmas!

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    1. Many thanks, Melissa. Happy Christmas!

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  4. Just reading your blog helps me to take a deep breath and believe it's possible to sense peace in this busy time. It helps remind me that Emmanuel is never rushed, never hurried, never too busy to welcome a conversation with me. And mostly it a word of exhortation to me to invite God into my day instead of charging full steam ahead on my own.

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    1. I'm so glad, Barb. That was my goal. Be still. Be quite. Breathe in the Spirit. Merry Christmas!

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