'Preparing for Christmas'

John the Baptist, in who would ‘make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ Luke 1:17

John’s task was to ‘make ready a people’ by restoring families. ‘He will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children…’ (v. 17) This may seem like an impossible task, but as Gabriel said to Mary, ‘Nothing is impossible with God.’ (Lk 1:37)  It is an interesting twist that Gabriel made which is sometimes lost on us. Elijah was a great prophet who went up against the worship of pagan gods and spoke truth to power in the presence of the king and queen of Israel. He even called down fire from heaven. Gabriel took the power of Elijah in a different direction. It would take the power of Elijah to restore relationships between parents and children. Restoring a broken, painful relationship may be one of the most miraculous healings of all. We often heal faster from broken bones than from broken relationships. It takes a great deal of power to restore relationships; power to forgive; power to change destructive speech and behavior; power to fulfill the law of love, ‘to always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere’. (I Cor 13)  Such power comes from the Holy Spirit.

What can we do this Holy Season to restore relationships? Instead of focusing on things, let’s focus on the people God has entrusted to our care – parents, children, and siblings. Do something relationally special with your immediate family. Light an Advent Wreath and talk about the stories of God’s love and joy announcing Jesus’ birth. Go caroling together. Together you can take food or gift cards to people begging on the streets or at a mission. For the relationships that are harder, prepare yourself for those encounters. You don’t have to be caught off guard at those family dinners. They happen every year. Instead, pray about the person and focus on their good qualities. Seek advice from someone you think could give you good insight as to how to change your emotions and reactions to a difficult relative. Train yourself to react in a positive instead of negative way. God has anointed you to restore that relationship.

We don’t have the spirit and power of Elijah. We have something even greater – the Holy Spirit of God Himself. Through the power of the Spirit in you, make yourself and your family ready for Christmas. I guarantee you will have the most meaningful Christmas yet.

Merry Christmas,  

Jonathan