Tis the Season to…BE!

This year was the first year ever (of my adult life) that I put up our Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. I was that excited about starting Christmas and experiencing the sacredness and fun that comes with this season. Now don’t get me wrong, I despise seeing Christmas decorations lining the shelves of Walmart next to the jack-o’-lanterns in early September, but I have found a new freedom in celebrating this gift alongside Thanksgiving because it is all found, experienced and joyed in Him.

One of the first things I did the day after Thanksgiving was tune into our local FM radio station that plays non-stop Christmas music through December 25th. It’s always amusing to hear the old traditional carols (and annoying to hear repeatedly Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is you”). Which is why shortly thereafter, I was reminded that what my heart truly yearned for could easily be drowned out by Noel noise.

While we’re all familiar with the yuletide “Deck the Halls,” not everyone feels “tis the season to be jolly.” So many beloved hearts are bleeding this time of year with pain from loss or lack.  And still others are decked with boughs of stress and anxiety from the pressure to do it all, making their lists and checking them twice! We tend to get frantic wondering who we’ll miss being obligated to, finding ourselves exhausted in false expectations and religious busyness.

But Jesus, the Manger King, came quietly into the deepest darkness of night to birth Life from pain. The Light of the world left His throne, giving up everything, to take on flesh to give you everything. He comes to you now and whispers, “My child, I set you free to be.” Like Mary, we are His highly favored ones pregnant with the indwelling Life Source of Promise Himself.

Yes, Love came down as our beacon of Hope beckoning us “to be.”  To be still and know that He IS. To be unconditionally loved as we are and not as we think we should be. To be free from the slavish pressure of trying harder to measure up for Him or anyone else. To be cared and provided for. To be held, nurtured and carried. To be you. To be me. To be His.

This gift, this Child that was born, this Son that was given to us, to you, humbled Himself into infancy and unto death – even death on a cross!… so He could deck your heart with boughs of healing. He came swaddled in our grave clothes, so we could be wrapped in His glory. And just like that first Christmas night, He meets our rebellion (which is Mary’s name in Hebrew) with His grace.

While the holly berries glisten as a sign of His blood that was shed for you washing you wholly forgiven, the prickly holly leaves point to the crown of thorns and nails in His hands that bound Perfection Himself so you could be free from the need to achieve it. God is not asking us to do anything for Him. On the contrary, He’s asking us to receive Christmas by resting in what He’s done for us.

Christmas is not about how Christian-like we “should” be. Christmas is an invitation to cease striving and trust. Christmas is not a season or even a day. Christmas is the present moment in His Presence. Immanuel; God with us, God beside us, God in us, God for us, tenderly summons us to slow down, come close, be still and enjoy Him, understanding that everything else (all love, beauty, fruitfulness and service) flows out of that place of intimate relationship.

Beloved, by all means, turn on your radio, bake your cookies and delight in the festivities. Just remember to let go of having to get it all right and get it all done, so you can hold on to BEing all His! Because “all He wants for Christmas is you!”

Have a blessed and Merry Holly Berry Christmas!

Resting In His Love,

Annalee Reyes

(If you’ve never accepted what Jesus has done for you at the cross, and you desire to live an eternal life full of His immeasurable love and rest, you can simply pray to Him now: “Lord Jesus, I ask You to come into my heart now and be Lord and Savior of my life. I believe you died for me taking my sin, curse and guilt on the cross. And when you were raised from the dead, I was raised in you. I am now a new creation; your dearly loved spotless child, and you are now my Daddy God Who will take care of my life. In Jesus Name. Amen”)