My Christmas Assignment

I didn’t have a Need List that day, Lord… or even a Wish List. I wasn’t coming to you as a Kosmic Kris Kringle. I just wanted to be with You.

It was early, well before dawn. I tiptoed through the house into the guest bedroom. Where my War Room (prayer closet) is. But I didn’t suit up for battle.

Instead, I did something I hardly ever do. I crawled up on the guest bed. I covered my whole body with a soft blanket… even my head. And I closed my eyes.

Like a baby in a womb.

So I could focus on You, Abba… without distraction. To be present with You… even if You had nothing to say to me.

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

I couldn’t help but tell You how wonderful You are… how lost I am without You… how grateful I am for Your Love and Grace. Nothing You didn’t already know.

And I realized… I did have a Need, Lord. A Wish. A Longing. To have an Encounter with You that would knit us together. Ever Closer. Closer than Ever.

That’s when You spoke… and gave me My Christmas Assignment. An Intimacy Exercise unlike any I had ever done before.

You asked me, “What is your favorite Christmas song?” I knew You weren’t after “Jingle Bells” or “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”  🙂  Rather, my favorite song that celebrates You, Lord — The Real Reason for The Season.

“Silent Night” welled up in my spirit. And “O, Holy Night.” Even “Mary, Did You Know?” Do I really have to pick just one, Lord?  🙂

Then You added, “Print out the lyrics.” To all the verses, not just the first. Because this Assignment isn’t to listen to the song. It’s to meditate through it, line-by-line, and imagine I am an EYEWITNESS and PARTICIPANT in all of the events the song portrays.

I’ll need a quiet, private place with no distractions. A safe, comfortable place where I can relax my body and fully unleash my imagination. So I can really notice, “What do I see? Hear? Smell? Think? Feel (with my hands and my heart)? What do I notice as I engage with You, Lord… and any others present?

Like becoming a shepherd. Sitting in the hills of Bethlehem that Silent, Holy Night. Surrounded by my flock. Pondering my life, as one considered “the lowest of the low” in society. Aware of the sounds and smells around me… the night turning eerily silent. As if even my sheep and the insects around me sense Something Different is about to happen.. but… What?

Tomorrow is Christmas morning. I can’t think of a better time to complete this assignment. I’m in Washington State now. It’s been days since You spoke this to me. My body is still on East Coast time, so I’m awake hours before my family here.

What better Gift could I open tomorrow morning, Lord… than this Priceless Encounter with You? 🙂

Eagerly,

Abba’s Girl

2 Comments

  • Debbie L says:

    We attended two services today. The “regular” morning worship – which was anything but regular. It was the first every United Service. Our “local” church here in Virginia has four services a day – three in English (9:00, 10:15 & 11:30) and one Spanish service (a 1:00 pm). Today, they decided to have one JOINT or UNITY service for both the Spanish and English congregations at 10:00 am. Then we had three other Candlelight Services at 3, 4:30 and 6:00. Wow, the worship music for the the UNITY service was so amazing at it was sung in both English and Spanish – lyrics on the walls with both. We almost didn’t go since we barely speak good English let alone Spanish….but it made the music and words so much easier to concentrate on! So every song, I said to myself, “that’s my favorite!” Oh no, they were all so CLEAR about our Savior’s Birth, about His mission on Earth, About His goal for each one of us….oh how they made me want to bow down and fall prostrate….Glorious day it was!!!

    • Diana Furr says:

      Wow… What a beautiful Christmas Eve the Lord had in store for you! Que dia mas linda! 🙂 My honey was sick today — 103 degree fever. It was bitterly cold here… so We stayed home from church (the building) and were the church (the people of God)… sharing a beautiful family gathering with the next two generations in the dining room… feasing on The Bread of Life, with scriptures and hymns. Glorious, too, in special and unexpected ways!

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