| God understands the human experience, and in Jesus, He came to redeem it all. — Mornings with Jesus 2022  What's Important This Christmas  Jesus said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her." — Luke 10:41-42 NLV
I'm a Martha. I admit it. And never is my "Martha-ness" more apparent than on Christmas morning. If Jesus were here, He'd admonish me, but I can't seem to help myself. I'm up at dawn, rattling pans, getting ready for my family to come for brunch. Sixteen kids and adults descend on us, and they come hungry. I can prepare some food ahead, like banana bread and a breakfast casserole, but cinnamon rolls, sausage biscuits, and blueberry muffins have to be baked at the last minute to make sure they're hot.
Our family loves to give humorous gifts. Year after year, the leopard-print footie pajamas appear. Someone gets an embarrassing framed picture of himself, an ancient flip phone, or fish slippers. Hilarity reigns! Last year I missed out on much of the fun, as I often do, because I was busily making sure everyone had coffee or fresh orange juice or a warm cinnamon roll. I didn't even witness my granddaughter Ana's ecstatic reaction when she opened the designer tennis shoes I'd given her.
By mid-afternoon, I'd finished cleaning the kitchen, having refused help from anyone. Jesus, I'm just mad, I told Him. Why couldn't I be more like Mary, recognizing what was truly important rather than striving to be a good hostess? I thought I heard Him whisper, It's not too late.
Next Christmas will be different. I'll let people help themselves, and I'll be part of the fun.
~Pat Butler Dyson
Faith Step: On Christmas Day and throughout the year, ask Jesus to help you determine what is really important.
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Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: "This Child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." — Luke 2:34-35 (NIV)
Christmas is a beautiful story about how God came to earth as a baby and dwelt among us. We love hearing about the shepherds, angels, and wise men following the star. It's magical.
But there are elements we don't hear much about, even though these parts of the story are just as true and, I think, just as important.
Because I've been a mother, imagining Mary's experience has been poignant for me. The line from today's verse — about Simeon telling Mary that her heart will be pierced — doesn't fit the warm fuzzy Christmas narrative. Instead, it highlights the other side of the story, foreshadowing what is to come. In this, we see at least two things: on a grand scale, that Jesus's purpose was to die from the beginning, and on a personal level, that mothering is hard.
The moments when each of my children were born were the happiest moments of my life. But by becoming a mother I also made myself vulnerable to a lot of pain — the pain I'd feel when other people would hurt my children and even the pain I'd feel if I were to lose them. Simeon's words remind me of the core message of Christmas:
God understands the human experience, and in Jesus, He came to redeem it all.
~Gwen Ford Faulkenberry
Faith Step: Read the entire chapter of Luke 2 and ask the Lord to give you fresh eyes. What other things that highlight the humanity of Jesus jump out at you? Excerpted with permission from Mornings with Jesus 2022, copyright Guideposts.
Your Turn
This Christmas, let's be present! Yes, there's a lot to do, but there's even more to enjoy and take part in. Let's not miss it in the busyness! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full Share this devotion with someone who needs it today. Rise with the Son
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Spend the year following Jesus, reflecting on daily devotions that show us His unchanging love and faithfulness.  Regular: $18.99 eBook price: $9.99 + free U.S. shipping* on orders of $35 or more Mornings with Jesus, an annual 365-day devotional by Guideposts, will inspire you, comfort you, and delight you. Spend 2022 reflecting on daily devotions that show God's unchanging love and faithfulness.
In just five minutes a day, Mornings with Jesus 2022 will help you experience a closer relationship with Jesus. It's full of inspiring and lasting motivation and spiritual nourishment that will fill you up with hope and direction. Each entry, like the voice of a trusted friend, offers inspiration, hope, and the peace that comes from walking with Him.
In Mornings with Jesus 2022, fourteen women of faith share stories about the ways that Jesus has strengthened their hearts as they walk with Him day by day. Lifting up their voices in heartfelt gratitude, these fourteen writers consider the character and teachings of Jesus and share how He enriches and empowers them each day.
This edition of Mornings with Jesus centers around Psalm 31:24: "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD" (NKJV).
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Mornings with Jesus 2022 provides you with an all-new daily devotion that will encourage you to embrace Jesus's love, to lay down your worries and find hope, and to focus on Him as Redeemer, Friend, and Faithful One each and every day.
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