It is my most favorite time of year.
Christmas carols. Church bells. Children’s laughter.
Giving.
Joy.
Hope.
Faith.
Love.
My heart is quieted, as I watch in sheer anticipation, as we
count down the days.
It is here that I hear the words, “Prepare your heart.”
“Prepare you heart.”
That seems to be the theme of the season for me. “Prepare
your heart.”
Every year I prepare my heart to receive the gift that God
has given, anew, but this year there is a churning deep within my soul that
cries out “Ilene, prepare you heart.”
What does it mean to prepare your heart? What does it truly look
like?
For me it means, drawing away from the noise and busyness of
life.
It means, quieting my heart before the Lord.
It means, turning all my thoughts and my affections towards
Jesus.
It means, setting aside my hopes and desires and seeking
after His heart.
It means, opening up my heart in spite of my failures and
shortcomings and receiving once again the gift of God’s only Son.
It means, readying our hearts for the entrance of Christ.
“Prepare you heart.”
What does it means?
I believe it is a statement that will forever keep drawing us
in deeper and deeper.
Author Ann Voskamp writes,
“We’re ready for
Christmas, not when we have all the gifts, but when we are ready for Christ –
when we’re ready to give all of ourselves to Christ.”
As one of the most sung Christmas carols of all times proclaims,
“Let every heart
prepare His room”
Our hearts and lives are much like houses. There are many
rooms. Some rooms are spic and span, while others are cluttered and chaotic,
while still others are abandoned and boarded up.
Some days I have lots of energy and ambition and I am just cleaning
from top to bottom, while other days it’s a chore to sort through my heart and I
tend to dilly dally my time away and avoid the “mess”.
Praise the Lord, He is not finished with me yet and little
by little with His help He shows me what needs to go and what needs to be
cleaned in my heart.
“Prepare your heart.”
Every year, we deck the halls, trim the trees, and celebrate
Christmas and Christ birth, but as I challenge myself, let’s not let the our outward
preparations outdo our inward preparations.
I want my heart to glow with the radiance of Christ and His
birth.
I want my heart to carry Christ all year long, with joy,
faith, hope, and love.
“Prepare your heart.”
Oh! That our hearts would prepare Him room
.Is there room in your heart?
Jesus came once as a baby, humble and perfect.
He was born
in a stable because there was no room in the inn.
Now Jesus comes again knocking on the door of your heart… is
there room for Him there?
I want to leave you with two Christmas carols. I pray that
it stirs afresh a heart of gratitude and love this Christmas and that you would
prepare your heart.
“Come Thou Long
Expected Jesus”
1. Come, thou long expected
Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release
us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and
consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
2. Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
" O Holy Night"
O Holy Night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and e'er pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees O hear the angels voices.
O night divine O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night, O night divine.
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
O night divine, O night, O night divine
