"At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon.  He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel.  The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah."  (Luke 2:25-26 NLT)

How are you at waiting?  What do you do while you wait?  What are you waiting for?  We are in the time between Christmas (Jesus' birth celebration) and Epiphany (the Wise Men's arrival).  It is also, today, New Year's Eve so many celebrations are happening.  One to remember is the 12 days of Christmas start on Christmas day and go through Epiphany (Jan  6th) - so, if you are counting today is the 7th day of Christmas.  All this probably gives you more things to be thinking about and questioning all while trying to get ready to celebrate (?) a New Year.

Simeon had been waiting a long time for the promise of the Messiah to be fulfilled.  So had Anna (Luke 2:37-40) been waiting.  Both of them spent time in prayer, worship and listening for what God is saying to them.  Both were rewarded with being able to see the Messiah when Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple (2:22).  Mary, Joseph, Simeon and Anna were all following the traditions of Scripture and the times.

​So.....how are we at waiting?  Are we going to Scripture?  Are we in prayer?  Are we listening for what God is calling us to do?  Something to think about.............

"She gave birth to her first child, a son.  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them."  (Luke 2:7  NLT)

Hectic schedules, with holiday festivities added in and, probably, at least some traveling all makes for little (if any) "extra" time let alone 'room' to make changes.  How are you doing with all of it?  Are you able to remember the reason for the season - we are celebrating Jesus' birthday?  Were you able to get to a worship service for the prayers, hymns, Scripture and (maybe) some fellowship?

Mary and Joseph had a lot of changes to plans, schedules and location also.  They left family in Nazareth to travel to Bethlehem only to find "no lodging available."  To add to the stress "the time came for her baby to be born."  (2:6)  Now family is far away but God IS with them.  The Shepherds come to celebrate "the Messiah, the Lord has been born today"! (2:11)  I, personally, think that like the song "Mary Did You Know" Mary and Joseph might have known but not fully understood.  They made room because the baby came.

How are we making room?  WHEN are we making room?  How can we make the time to actually listen for what God is saying/asking of us?  Something to s-t-o-p and think about........

"And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home.  He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was now obviously pregnant."  (Luke 2:4-5 NLT)

Now, during Advent, we have been looking at the "Christmas" story as we prepare to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  It is an interesting time of crazy schedules, finishing projects, cooking (for some of us) and travel.  It can also be a time of memories as we think back to "other" Christmas gatherings.  We can remember the Christmas pageant when our kids were various members of the "cast" from Shepherds to Joseph or Mary.  

We can also be thinking about how far Mary and Joseph had to travel to get to Bethlehem (v. 4) and the difficulty Mary would have had being "obviously pregnant." (v. 5)  We can think about the difficulties we are having with the crazy schedule, travel - and difficulties with weather and travel, and the issues of being with family - some good, some not so good.  But we can also be celebrating, while we are preparing, because of the already Emmanuel (God IS with us), and the not yet (Jesus IS coming again}.

So...... where are you in your preparations?  Are you "ready" to celebrate with family?   Are you traveling?  How is the weather?  All things to be thinking about......