I love Christmas Eve probably just as much as I love Christmas day! Each Christmas Eve after our church’s Christmas Eve service my family cooks up a bunch of finger foods and watches our favorite Christmas movies. I always look forward to our Christmas traditions–and making new ones too!
I wonder what was going through Mary’s mind the night before the birth of her first born son, the King of the world. I am sure that she and Joseph were well into their journey to Bethlehem on this starry night. The journey wasn’t easy. It was rough and dirty. I bet Mary was just dying for a fresh shower and a change of clothes. But when they arrived to Bethlehem, the only thing this teenage girl received was a stinky stable filled with animals. The cool thing throughout the entire journey of Jesus’ birth though is that Mary chose to enjoy the process and literally treasure everything that happened in her heart. She chose to be completely humbled and thankful for what God had blessed her with rather than think about the details and what she wished would have happened.
Tonight my church had its very first Christmas Eve service. God has given me the great privilege of being a part of a brand new church in Ocala–Church of Hope. Tonight we literally gathered under the stars at a farm–just like the first Christmas. We all listened as crickets chirped and babies cried. We smelled the fresh cut grass and felt the scratchy hay. Tonight as I sat under the stars, I thought about Mary. Our service wasn’t the “traditional” service. It was different, but absolutely amazing! Being out there truly made me feel like I was living a part of what Mary felt the day Jesus was born……wonder, amazement, awe,……hope.
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” ~Luke 2:19
