It’s Christmas Eve and many folks are setting themselves up for a bummer of a Christmas. Why? Because procrastination and busyness has overcrowded what should be a time of peace, reflection, and serenity.
Look at the parking lot of Walmart and Chief. Didn’t people know that Christmas was upon them? Why are they just now shopping for their ham, turkey, and other essential items for the Christmas feast? And, by waiting this late, you know that they will be working into the wee hours of the morning, trying to pull off the perfect meal to impress friends and family alike.
Then there’s the last minute gift shoppers. Hey, dads, guess what you are doing tonight after the kids go to bed. Put on your hard hat. Strap on your tool belt. You have just become Bob the Builder and if something goes wrong, you can’t run to Ace for that missing screw, bolt, or anything else.
For all who wait till the last minute, they have to fight the crowds. You’re already stressed because you feel the pinch of the clock. Now, a twist is added to the pinch and waiting in line is a painful experience.
Do you know who I feel sorry for? The clerks and cashiers of these businesses! For five years, I worked in a large Christian bookstore in Chattanooga. I was the assistant store manager and a department manager. Let me tell you, there are a lot of Grinchy people that show up in stores on December 24th that get very angry with you because 1) you don’t have what they want and 2) you can’t order it and have it wrapped and under their
Christmas tree by tomorrow. What you wanted to tell the customer was that we had what they were looking for a couple of weeks ago and that if they had come in just one day earlier, we might have been able to get it next day air – for a substantial price increase. I didn’t say that because we still wanted to have customers on December 26th. But you sure wanted to!!
After a day of last minute shopping and a late night of baking and building, does anyone think that they will really be in a genuine Christmas spirit tomorrow? Maybe it would be good for all businesses to be closed December 24th as well as December 25th. If this was done, people would still wait till December 23rd to do the last minute stuff but would have December 24th to unwind and relax a bit before tackling December 25th.
I can only float the idea. I’m fairly certain, though, that the idea will be nothing more than a whisp of smoke in my own head!
Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” The context tells us that this peace is a gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit who was promised to abide with us forever. (John 14:16-17). But the practical appreciation of this peace will escape us when we don’t practice Isaiah 26:3. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Our hearts and minds should be stayed on Jesus. After all, it is CHRISTmas. It’s not DINNERmas, TOYmas, SANTAmas, or any other -mas. When our minds are filled with those other things, peace begins to dribble out of our soul as if we had sprung a leak.
PLUG THOSE LEAKS! It’s time to say ENOUGH! Altogether, now, let’s say it like we mean it: If I don’t have it TODAY, I won’t need it TOMORROW! Tomorrow will be just fine without it. Say it again with feeling and conviction.
Enter tomorrow with a heart and spirit that has been prepared today. Psalms 95:1-3 reminds us what to do. “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. (2) Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. (3) For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”
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