Struggle: 12/17-18/2011

We were reminded this weekend that the actual backdrop for the birth of Jesus was not nearly as tame and serene as our bathrobe Christmas productions or our front lawn nativity sets.

Jesus was born in occupied territory after all.  It was a place full of some of the same political and social turmoil we see in the Middle East today.  There would have been soldiers all around, rumors spreading, a constant threat of chaos and violence. 

But through the struggle, Mary pays attention to what matters most:

"But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart."  Luke 2.19

Thinking about the turbulent world of Jesus' days makes Mary's devotion even more impressive.  it also adds weight to some of the words of Jesus in his later years—the words about not worrying about the future and paying attention to the troubles of the day.  We need to know that it was difficult for them so that we can trust that it's possible for us—to endure and find joy in the middle of a struggle.

What threatens your ability to pay attention in the present moment?  Are you stuck in the past?  Worried about the future?

When are you tempted to mentally, emotionally or physically escape the moment you're in?

Where are you making space in your life to "treasure" and "ponder" the presence of God?

Try not to do so much "counting down" this Christmas that you forget to make these days count.  Let God guide you through the days to come. 

"Let every heart prepare Him room."

If you want to understand a little more about the world of young Jesus, Anne Rice's book "Christ our Lord: Out of Egypt" is a great imagining of what those days would have been like.  It's making this Christmas different for me.

And if you want to spend a few minutes thinking about the reality of the "silent night," here's a great song by Andrew Peterson and Jill Phillips:

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