the mess before Christmas

You know that messy living room I have… I talked about it last weekend.

Yeah, it’s still in a bit of a shamble.

Tonight I was talking with someone about trying to balance this “preparing for Jesus” the way I feel like I should… and simply sitting at the feet of Jesus. I just came from the Women of Faith conference and, man, I could sit under that kind of teaching and worship all day long – if I didn’t have so much to do.

How do I get past this desire to have my to-do list checked off and everything in order before I pull out the Christmas decorations?

{who knew Christmas decorations could cause me so much thought?!}

A few days ago I shared how convicted I was about creating stress in my preparations for Christmas… Recognizing that my kids just might say “Mom, we don’t want Jesus to come” stopped me in my tracks. {If you missed it – you can check it out here}

As I was sharing this struggle with my new friend tonight, I realized that although my desire to have everything organized and in order isn’t bad… My perspective seems to still be skewed.

Jesus  came right into the messy, chaotic disorder…

In fact, that is the whole reason He came… because of our ugly.

And, yet, here I still am… struggling to have everything just right before I let Him in.

As if I can clean up the mess I make.

See, THIS is the hope that our Savior brings.

THIS is what Jesus is all about.

The Pharisees & religious leaders at the time Jesus came… they worked to have everything *looking* just perfect – but, Jesus didn’t come for those who considered themselves all put together. He came for the messy… the sick.

And, putting a band-aid on my ugly doesn’t take the sick away.

Jesus comes willingly… and with a love I will never-ever understand… into the heart of my ugly and He saves. He makes new.

I am fooling myself to believe that I can get my mess clean enough…

I can’t.

But, He CAN.

You know, my kids could care less if their friends come over when their rooms are a mess. It’s always me who wants them to have things straightened up just so… but, aren’t kids amazing this way? They just want to enjoy the relationship with their friends… and they can do that right in the middle of their messy floor… and it is beautiful.

This is what preparing for Jesus is about.

This is what preparing for Christmas is about…

Christmas is about inviting Jesus right into the ugly mess knowing He will redeem and make new.

That’s why He came.

Read more in my devotional Haywire Christmas: Inviting Jesus Into the Mess on Amazon Kindle Here.