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The Aftermath of Christmas |
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Written by Sally Bair
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Monday, 04 January 2010 |
There’s the preparation for Santa, the family feasting, the TV football games and the final cleanup. There’s the trip to church on Christmas Eve. For some, there’s the celebration of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Eventually the celebration of Jesus’ birth ends. For many people, all the hubbub causes an emotional (and even physical) letdown. That’s a normal reaction in any situation that demands lots of high energy and thought. It’s true of marathon runners who spend months preparing for the race. It’s true of actors and actresses who rehearse for weeks and then face emotionally draining performances. It’s true of kids who work hard all year to receive an award, which culminates with applause and accolades.
In the world of faith, we sometimes reach heights, too. For example, we may worship God or give selflessly to a needy cause and feel so good afterward that we want to stay forever on that peak. But soon the feeling subsides and we plummet back to earth, so to speak—perhaps below our earlier emotional state. None of us can remain on the mountain forever; eventually we must come out of the clouds.
When we plummet, it’s tempting to believe that our “high” really didn’t happen. Or that God has left us. Or that we’ve done something wrong to warrant our fall.
Imagine how energized, how joyful Jesus felt immediately after His baptism when the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove. He climbed a mountain and spent 40 days with His Father. What ecstasy! What joy, to spend all that time in the presence of God. Yet at the end of the time, at a vulnerable time of hunger yet elation, the devil tempted Him with power, glory and physical fulfillment. Jesus passed the test. He could have experienced a let-down, but His Father gave Him the strength and power to carry on His work of redeeming mankind.
We don’t need to go from mountaintop to letdown, either, even though we must return to everyday living. We can choose to live in His strength and power by meditating on and obeying His Word. Keeping our hearts open to His wisdom and grace will extend the Christmas celebration for us. Sharing the Good News of the Gospel through our testimony and becoming His hands and feet through self-sacrificing acts of love can keep us from feeling let down.
“He who abides in (clings to) Me, and I in him, bears much fruit …” (John 15:5)
Lord, keep us from the letdown of our celebrations by giving us the desire and will to remain in Your Word and Your presence. In Jesus’ name, amen.
www.sallybair.com
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