Are You Ready for Christmas?

“Are you ready for Christmas?” I have heard that question countless of times during the holiday season. Whether it was posed to myself, or if I heard it asked among others, it is a common question of greeting at this time of year. The question of one’s readiness for Christmas is usually related to making preparations for family gatherings, scrumptious meals, and perhaps most of all, having all of the presents decided upon and purchased for our loved ones. The question can perhaps bring about several kinds of responses. For a few of us (those who have been watching Hallmark Christmas movies for months!), there is a ready reply of “Yes!” to this question. They are consumed with the celebration of the season and they are confident that their purchases will bring delight to the ones on their giving list. For many others, the reply to a question of readiness for Christmas is less sure. They are floundering in the many tasks to be done and are quite nearly spent (in every way imaginable!). For many, the Christmas season seems over-commercialized. The simple joys of such a meaningful celebration have become overrun by the clamor of unrealistic expectations and materialism.

Regardless of how we may answer that question now, it is almost certain that all did at one time have a yearly and ecstatic anticipation for Christmas. Nearly across the board, children maintain a wonder and awe for the celebration of the season, especially when it involves a larger-than-life figure in a red suit, a man whose joy is contagious and whose generosity is inviting. This is probably why so many enjoy spending Christmas with children. The delight in their imaginations is truly good for every soul. Their excited readiness for Christmas is probably best captured by the classic poem, Twas the Night Before Christmas. Reportedly written in 1823 by Clement Clarke Moore for his own children, the poem expresses the exhilaration of one’s readiness for Christmas, embodied in none other than jolly old St. Nicholas himself.

Yet, long before the writing of this classic poem, an eager anticipation for Christmas has long been the practice of God’s people. This “celebration of waiting” is referred to as Advent and is really the practice of focusing attention upon anything of great worth. Of course, nothing compares to the worth of Jesus Christ. Personally, my family enjoys all of the traditions of this season, from Santa Claus to ugly sweaters. However, none of these traditions compares to the coming of Christ. It is of utmost importance for our joy and God’s glory (which always compliment each other) that we anticipate properly the coming of Christ. What practical ways can we make certain to be ready for Christmas?

Two often forgotten, yet important characters in Luke’s Gospel provide insight into a proper readiness for Christ’s coming. Luke 2:22-38 describes the encounters of Simeon and Anna with baby Jesus. Their lives exemplify a readiness for Christmas.

1. Patient Waiting

Simeon, a devout Jew, and Anna, a prophetess, each serve as a paradigm for God’s command that we are to “wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). In fact, Luke specifically describes both of them as “waiting” for the Lord. How many countless entrapments did Simeon and Anna set aside so that they might be ready for Christ’s coming? In our age of instant gratification, the act of waiting has been painted as a great evil. Yet, in order to be ready for all that God desires to do in us, there must certainly be an enduring patience. How would our worship of Christ during this season change if rather than grabbing everything that sparkles this instant, we waited instead?

2. Eager Anticipation

Simeon and Anna were not waiting for the simple sake of the act…they were anticipating something much greater! Luke describes each of them as waiting for the “consolation” and “redemption” of God’s people. Following Jesus Christ is not the act of setting aside pleasures for no reason. Rather, it is the act of pressing toward the greatest joy (Philippians 3:14)! This season promises much joy, but can deliver very little. Yet, if we eagerly anticipate and seek Christ, a joy unspeakable awaits.

3. Spiritual Disciplines

Simeon’s and Anna’s lives were marked by spiritual discipline. They prayed, fasted, and worshipped as a regular practice. Luke’s description of their devotion is not of the one-minute variety in the midst of a hurried day. They sought the Lord diligently in the Scriptures and in deep contemplation. When Christ appeared, they would not miss Him. How could they? They had come to know Him so well through His word, prayer, and the fellowship of His people. How could your preparation for Christmas be transformed by the practice of spiritual disciplines?

Of course, unlike Simeon and Anna, we are not waiting for the coming of Christ, but rather His second coming! The celebration of Christ’s first coming so many years ago reminds us that He promised to one day return. Our advent for Christmas Day prepares us for the advent of The Day! It is my sincere prayer that we are ready for Christmas because we are ready for Christ!

So, when someone asks you if you are ready for Christmas, how will you answer?

Come Quickly Lord Jesus,

Jason