In our advent journey so far, we’ve toured the inward components that need tending, to be prepared for Christmas this year. We looked at the importance of preparing our hearts and minds through prayer and the Word, so that we may worship and rest in Jesus. Now we’ll turn the conversation to outward matters.
And there is no better place to begin than with our families.
Now, I’m not talking about polishing up the outside. Or adorning the gang in new outfits for the perfect holiday portrait. It also goes beyond gift-giving. And fitting them with masks and sanitizer. It’s got to be more involved than that. It’s got to go deeper.
First and foremost, let’s bathe them in the Word and cover them in constant prayer.
Set their focus upon Jesus. Crown Him King of your family . . . your Christmas—daily.
Admittedly, we’ve got some fierce competition battling to divide families. It’s a harrowing feat, for sure. The relentless input for our kid’s attention – and heart – is constant. But one way to capture and involve them is through family traditions.
Christmas is filled with traditions.
There are traditions that were passed on to you from your family. And there are those that you create and pass down to your children and grandchildren. They vary greatly. There are as many traditions as there are families. Those most treasured are the ones rich with meaning and significance.
A child’s wonder is a fantastic thing to cultivate. That awe plants the most amazing seeds for faith to grow. And the miraculous signs and wonders of God recorded in the birth narrative are definitely awe-inspiring!
In our family, we observed a daily devotional time—which included their participation. Choose a time that best fits (midday, mealtime, or bedtime), just try to be consistent. I often used various products on the market and custom-fit them to our family. When they were younger, it often included an activity of some kind. It’s not always what you do exactly, or how you do it, just that you simply do. The practice enriched our faith . . . our family. And it made our holiday traditions ripe with the fullness of God.
This tradition prepared our family for Christmas—in meaningful ways.
So, as you feed your family during the holidays, feed their hearts and minds with the Word. (It's ok if it's in bite-sized pieces.)
And, just as the family of Jesus went on pilgrimage to His birth together, you can take your family on pilgrimage to the Christ this Christmas—with prepared hearts.
#apreparedfamily #familytraditions #adventforthewholefamily #PreparedAtChristmas