ADVENT DEVOTION DAY 1: Heart Prep Time

Here we are, fifteen days out from The BIG Day!!!
Christmas is coming fast and after finishing reading through Matthew two weeks ago I was fully anticipating the next few weeks to be a review in the book of Luke. The beauty of the nativity, the silent night images that paint their peaceful pictures in my head.  The shepherds, angels, and bright star kind of study, BUT I was led in a very different direction.  After praying about what book to study next, I couldn't get Jeremiah out of my mind.  The draw to read this book was and has been overwhelming.  Trust me, I argued a little with myself and God for leading me to this Old Testament prophet of, well, woe.  It's like turning down delicious and beautifully decorated Christmas Cookies for a fruitcake.  Just being honest.  Who wants to read about judgment and what people are doing wrong when you can read about the baby in the manger?
How can the book of Jeremiah prepare a person for Christmas?
Then there is this: John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."
Why did He send His Son?
Why are we perishing?

Enter Jeremiah.
Enter confrontation.
Enter sin and wrath.
Enter hard hearts.
Enter lost humanity.

So fifteen days out, Let's start our Christmas prep time with some heart preparation.
IN JEREMIAH?
Hang in there with me, it's good for us.
Jeremiah was called by God to warn His people of the wrath to come if they didn't repent.  He tells them their sins and says, repent and turn.  The people have decided, they aren't having it, because they have rationalized their lifestyles to themselves and think they are righteous enough, so eventually, they threaten to kill the messenger.  Jeremiah is risking His own life to tell others how they can spare theirs. (sounds kind of gift giving, Christmas like to me)

In Jeremiah 4:4  it says, "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and remove the foreskins of your heart...Or else My wrath will go forth like fire...because of your evil deeds."

That's just one of the milder prophecies used to warn the people of Israel of the wrath to come without repentance.  Honestly, that's not the kind of "pick me up" you want to read on a Monday morning, but why?  Why is it there?

As I contemplated where we are as a society, as Christians, where I am personally, I have to ask, are we listening?  Are we brave enough to hear the truth about ourselves? Or have we, in our prideful arrogance, decided that we are perfect just the way we are?  How can we appreciate a Savior who is going to be born as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) if we think we are without sins to take away?

On a personal level, ask yourself, how do I react when I am confronted about something I have done?
This is where I am, fifteen days out from the manger scene.
 How do I act, how did the people of Jeremiah's day act?
 How does our human nature make us so puffed up with self-righteous, "correctness" that we are too stiff with self worship to bow before a baby?

Here is a checklist of what most often happens when we are confronted with our wrongs:

1) We get DEFENSIVE.  We justify our actions with the whys of the action.  We all "know" if there is just cause, than our cause was just.
2) We DENY any wrong doing.  "I didn't do THAT".  Meaning, I really didn't mean for you to think I did that so you are the one with the problem.
3) We DEFLECT.  Since we have decided that we are perfect, than obviously it's the other person who must have some issue to resolve.  We never meant to do the thing we did and the person took it wrong.
4) We cause DEATH.  We kill any sense of healing within relationships or ourselves.  Once we have torn the other person down or denied that we are without sin we have brought death on relationships with God and others.

Here is a short list of what probably should happen when we are confronted with our wrongs:

1) REFLECTION.  Ask ourselves: What have I done to cause separation in this relationship?  What can I "cut away" from my heart that I have been harboring?  What is causing me to feel so perfect that I can't bow before the baby in the manger or admit I was wrong to a loved one?
2) REMORSE.  Show that I am sorry for whatever happened to sever ties between myself, others and God.
3) REPENTANCE.  Turn from the pride that says, I am perfect because WE are NOT perfect. "There is none righteous" (Romans 3:10)  ONLY JESUS was perfect.  He became our perfect sacrifice so when we believe on Him for salvation, we become pure, covered in HIS righteousness.
 "But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone." (Hebrews 2:9)
4)RENEWAL.  Life is renewed when we are willing to say I am sorry, I repent, I was selfish, I was arrogant, I am not perfect.  Then I is replaced with the others in our lives who we say we love.  I is broken down to its knees to worship a God who brought life into this world when it was so dark, so selfish, so oblivious to its need for a Savior. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

From the warning of judgment in Jeremiah to the beauty of the greatest gift on Christmas, God has made a way.  He sent His Son to take all the wrath that our sinfulness was owed.  He was the Lamb born in the stable. He is waiting if you have never believed in Him.  He is the free gift.
If you have believed, repented, and accepted His free gift, rejoice!  He has come, He is coming.  He is the deliverer.  As you take the time to celebrate advent and prepare for Christmas.  Prepare your heart, cut away, the things that hold you back from worship, from relationships, from God and others.  When you do, you will bask in the brightness of the angel's announcement on the hillside so long ago: "I bring you good news of great joy...in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11)
The Savior.  Saving us from the wrath, the death, from ourselves.
May the miracle of Christmas be renewed in your heart this season.

-Melissa Pyle
12/10/18