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“Look, I am coming soon!” Revelation 22:7 (NLT)

Although stores have been dressed in Christmas finery for many weeks, it is only in the first few days of Advent that I find my pulse quickened and my attention pointed with determination toward Christmas. Four weeks before December 25, I drag out the boxes filled with greenery, candles, and wreaths that will turn our home into a welcoming haven for all who enter. Many items are still on the to-do list: gifts to be bought or made, packages wrapped and mailed, concerts, parties, baking and much more will fill the days.

But beneath all the work lies this sense of joyful anticipation: He is coming soon! As a mother prepares for the imminent birth of her child by fitting fresh linens on the cradle and caring ever more completely for her body, I want to be sure my heart is healthy, my attitudes pure, and my focus more on the coming Jesus than on my rapidly filling calendar.

To awaken each morning of Advent with the thought of His coming prepares me for that December 25th morning: He has come!

Father, remind me that all I do in preparation for Christmas is only a reminder of preparing my heart for you.

Question: How do you prepare your heart for Christmas? Think of new ways to celebrate Christ’s birth this year. If you have children at home, ask them what new ways of celebration they might wish to choose.

About this Author: Marilyn Ehle