on the walk

Growing up in East Tennessee, I learned that there are two religious holidays each winter: Christmas and the Super Bowl.

Each one has a important rituals of observance. Both consume the attention the whole populace. Even those that are normally irreligious find themselves participating in the worship on these two days. (For most of my life I watched exactly one NFL game each year, but for some reasons I never missed that one.)
There are basically two kinds of participants in the Super bowl. There are those who watch and those who play. If you wanted to figure out the difference, one easy way would be to watch how they prepare. If I am planning to play in a Super bowl, I would prepare by practicing football, with diligent exercise and focused hard work. If I am planning to watch a Super bowl, I might shop for tickets or for doritos for my party. I might go all out this year and decorate my home for my favorite team. Nevertheless, however elaborate my preparations, you would be able to tell that I have no intention of playing in the real game, I am just watching this year.

In the same way, I think that our preparations for Christmas give a pretty good indication of what we expect the day to be about. If our preparations are only about decorations and shopping, then apparently we are planning for a holiday that is about presents and parties. But if our preparations are focused on a deepening longing for God, then maybe this year the holiday is really about God coming in the flesh, into the world and into our lives.

I want to prepare in this way this year. I expect that may neighbors will only see the shopping and the decorations. But I want to prepare differently. I want to know that I am preparing for something different this year. Let’s discuss this with your walking partners. Could you commit this year to spend as much time in prayer and bible study as you do shopping and decorating? As you water the tree, can you pray that God will make you equally thirsty for the water of life?

I want this Christmas to be undeniably about Christ coming into my life. To do that, I must prepare for this Christmas differently.

on the walk

-Ethan

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