My algorithm keeps spitting out the same content, as algorithms tend to. Reel after reel, photo after photo, people doing more and more and more for Christmas.
I can get so easily swept up in it. Do I, too, need ten more strands of lights for my tiny 600 square foot condo? Do I need to drape long stretches of garland over every single doorway, and make sure my husband and I have matching jammies on Christmas morning? (Okay, I admittedly do like that idea…)
The more I watch, the more I’m sucked in. Every day, my algorithm produces more of the same, and like a vortex, I’m sucked in even more.
For some reason, I keep saying yes to doom scrolling. It doesn’t produce anything good or lovely or fruitful in me. If anything, I become discontent, selfish, and consumeristic. It is so easy to swipe up on (another) Instagram advertisement, convinced that if I just buy this next item, then joy and magic and wonder will ensue. Even if joy does follow my spontaneous purchase, it evaporates quickly.
When I really think about it, this isn’t what I want Christmas to feel like. This isn’t what I want to keep saying yes to.
I think about Mary. I think about her every year around this time, but even more so this year. I just got married, and as my husband and I blend our lives and traditions and families on our first Christmas, I’ve been pondering again how Mary must have felt. She was so young. Everything in her life changed in an instant.
When the angel came to her in Luke 1, I’m always most struck by Mary’s response to this terrifying and awesome news.
Mary answers, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”
Or in other words: Mary says yes.
She says yes to what felt impossible: to become pregnant despite being a virgin.
She says yes to pain: the pain of childbirth, the pain of pregnancy before marriage, the pain of what people would think of her.
She says yes to God.
What are you saying yes to this Christmas?
I know for a lot of us, there are circumstances in our lives that we wouldn’t say yes to, given the choice. There are unimaginable things you are currently facing.
But I can’t help but wonder, even in the midst of the pain and the circumstances you want to reject, if God has an invitation for you in the middle of it.
What could God be inviting you into this season? What could you say yes to?
Another translation of Mary’s response to the angel says this: “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.”
She takes God at His Word. She trusts His character, His kindness, His faithfulness, His provision, His protection, His unfailing love, and His steadfastness.
She trusts Him with her life.
She trusts Him enough to say yes… to anything He asks.
Do we?
There are so many things I want to say no to this Christmas: consumerism, selfishness, discontentment.
But the only One I want to say yes to? God.
I want to trust Him enough to say yes to Him every single time. Because He is faithful. He is kind. He is Emmanuel. He is the Prince of Peace. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is bigger than any circumstance we are facing.
He is the one to say yes to this Christmas. And to keep saying yes to every day after.
May whatever God has planned for you and me be done to us according to His word.
Leave a Comment
Aliza we can say yes to so many things and to keep people quite and keep peace. We can find ourselves doing that. When we don’t stop to think would God want us to say yes all the time to keep people quite and keep peace. It could be something an unsaved family member or members wants us to do with them. It could be of the world and not very Christian at all. No matter what it is they have asked us to do with them. If not sure is this what God would want us to do we have to not say yes right away as we can do that then reg regret saying yes as you throught about it and it not very Christian. You then know God wouldn’t want you doing it and regret saying yes right away. So we have to think before we the saved say yes to anything family or friends us too or want us to go to. If not sure it of God we have to say to them let you know. Then pray and ask God would he want us to go to it. If God says no because it not very Christian or not Christian at all. We have to be big and brave and say thank you for asking me but I not be there. If they ask why. You just have to honest with them and say why you will not be there. They might not like you for it. They might try to persuade you to go and you have to know that is Satan making them try to persuade you. You have to not give into there persuading stay focused on saying no and not giving in for peace sake and doing what’s right in God’s eyes. If they fall out with you for it. Just pray for them for God to have them respect your discussion. God will honour you for doing what is right in his eyes as a follower of his. It not easy to do that as Satan will do everything to get you do it through them. You are to keep strong in the Lord in it all and keep praying for them. Yes it not easy as they might fall out with you but through time they will come round. In the end they will respect your decision to say no and why. So we have to as followers of Jesus do what is right in his eyes not as the world wants us to do just to please them. We are at all times to please God not man. In times like this I had to do this. Yes my family member that not pleased with me for not doing what she wanted. Had fallen out with me and eventually made friends with me again. In those times I had to remain strong and not give in for peace sake. It not easy as Satan uses them to try get you to say yes when it wrong in God’s eye. Ask God to help them see what they want me to do is wrong. For them to respect my decision to say know. I always remember I am doing what is rightbin God’s eyes. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
Amen Aliza, and congratulations on your marriage!
Dear Aliza……You are young and I am 78 years old, but I kind of got caught in the same situation as you described in your devotion. I have some very serious problems that I face every day, but in prayer, I have surrendered my burdens to God. Now it is not that I still don’t get very emotional at some holidays, but as I thought about things, I finally decided that Christmas is not just about presents and garland and other things. It is the Birth of Christ we need to think about how much we have come to love Him and all He helps us with and so I cut back this year and concentrated on Reading from one of my many Bibles and knowing that God really gave us the BEST present we could ever hope for. Our Messiah, our Savior and Immanuel, and Jesus Christ ! That is what Christmas means to me………..A great Devotion Aliza, especially at this time in December. Congratulations on your marriage and may you have a wonderful Blessed Christmas with all your friends and relatives……..Love, Betsy Basile
Amen and Amen and Amen!!!!!