Calmer Way To Christmas Devtion #5

(Note: On a new toll-free recorded message center (877-470-1910, ext 1) for the church I serve I am making available 24 personally-written daily Advent Devotions as part of a "Calmer Way to Christmas" series. Each of the first 20 of these 24 devotions is based on verses from the Gospel of Luke's version of the Christmas story. During this Advent Season I've decided to suspend my normal devotional practice and post the transcripts of these "Calmer Way to Christmas" Advent devotions instead. Below is today's installment. If you wish to listen to the devotion instead, simply call the number above and then choose extension 1.)



Luke 2:5
"He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child."

Back in 1989 I took what, at the time, was the biggest there’s-no-turning-back journey of my life. I was on my way to Frankfurt, Germany to serve as an intern for a year. Granted, it was the land of my ancestors, but I couldn’t speak German and had never been out of the United States with the exception of a college fishing trip or two to Canada. This trip was big.

Thankfully, I didn’t go alone. Right by my side on the giant 747 was my wife who had actually spent a couple years in Europe as a child. Looking back, I don’t think there’s any way that I would have ever signed up for such an experience without knowing that she would be by my side all the way. Sure, I’m a pretty self-sufficient kind of guy, but I’ve also got my limits. I appreciate and am sometimes surprisingly dependent on support from others. With the presence of my wife I was good to go. Without it I’m not sure I would have ever made the trip.

Joseph was blessed with loyal companionship on his journey to his ancestral homeland as well. Mary was there right by his side. It’s a Good thing too. We’d have no Christmas story without her.

Granted, we don’t always have the opportunity to take trips with loved ones close by. Sometimes we have to seemingly to go it alone. But then again, the calmer way to Christmas includes the belief that, whether we have someone physically present with us or not, there is an ever greater presence at hand—even though he originally came in a very small package.