Some things in life come upon us suddenly, so suddenly that we cannot prepare for them. When we get blindsided, we wish we could've seen it coming and prepared ourselves for it. More often than not, the plans the Lord has in store for us take us by surprise, but it is meant for us to depend upon Him in any circumstances, whether they are pleasant or painful.
We like to be prepared, and without giving it much thought during the Christmas season, we make many preparations.
We find ourselves going into meticulous preparations to decorate the house or the Christmas tree. If we already know what kind of lights we want for the festive season, we will buy them as early as October or November and often find that the shelves are empty and the decorations we want are sold out.
We make sure the family gathering suits as many family members as possible, often juggling the date and time around everyone's busy schedule. And then comes the meal. We plan our shopping for the meal, making the meal, and setting the table with the best seating arrangement. We like everything just so, and it has to be perfect.
Christmas cards are another tradition that springs up every year, and often it includes a family photo. We want the card to present us at our best, making sure we wear the right attire and smile just enough so it looks like we enjoy having our picture taken. Then, we plan how to efficiently hand them all out or mail them to family members and relatives.
We can't forget about the extra painstaking preparations that go to buying gifts. We go from one end of the city to the other to find the right gift, sometimes changing our minds and returning gifts to buy something else before Christmas arrives. We want to make sure the person will like the gift—that it's the' right gift.' That's not to mention putting up with the less than joyful people in the stores and parking lots. Some will also go to great lengths to purchase just the right kind of gift wrapping, but as soon as it's time to open the gift, it gets ripped into shreds within seconds and ends up in the recycling bin.
We make precise preparations for all these occasions weeks or even months ahead of time only to find that it's over so suddenly; the occasion seems to be over so quickly, and the end brings the celebrations to an abrupt standstill.
While all of these preparations for each occasion are not wrong in themselves, it becomes wrong when we lose focus on the real meaning of Christmas. Sadly, that describes what the greater population only thinks about this time of the year. It is sad because the preparations that really matter after this life are the preparations we make for God.
"Joy to the World" is often sung during the Christmas season, but it seems we ignore the words, "Let every heart prepare Him room." It seems we don't take the time to grasp the warning. We would be wise to dwell upon it and the consequences for not heeding and practicing it.
What is meant by "Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room?" We prepare for a Savior, the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth. We prepare for Jesus forgiving His people of their sin, who will one day judge the world in righteousness.
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, he said that the child Mary was carrying would be the One who would save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). His mission was clear: it was to deal with the sins of His people; it was to deal with our hindrance in having a right relationship with God. The world has never had better news to prepare for.
Let every heart prepare for the good news of a long-awaited Savior.
Prepare for deliverance. Prepare for joy. Prepare for a complete change of heart by the power of His word. Prepare to know God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Prepare for God to come to earth in the form of a man, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:15-17).
As we prepare for the joyous Christmas season, may we not forget the reason it is joyous. "For unto us a Savior is born who is Christ the Lord." Let us give Him the rightful place in our lives and give Him the adoration He deserves.