4 Sleeps...

Christmas is almost here. Cards - sent; presents - wrapped (nearly!); food - bought (tomorrow?!); drink - better get some more…; 4 more sleeps and it is Christmas.

Christmas comes, ready or not. No stopping it. Boom!

We spend a lot of time (and money!) each year preparing for and getting ready for Santa’s arrival, more so if you have children – gifts, meals, stockings, presents round the tree, mince pie and sherry for Santa, carrot for Rudolf, keep the receipts safe…so much to get ready before the man in the red arrives. For some of us Christmas preparations started months ago.

Then there is the emotional preparation – gearing up for parties, meals, rounds of visits, family members you like and those who are more challenging! You might even be planning what to watch on the telly.

That is a lot of thought and preparation for the arrival of Father Christmas.

I wonder how much thought and preparation we give to the arrival of Jesus Christ? Christmas is after all Christ-mas. The celebration of Christ. Christmas is that time when we remember the first time He came – born as a baby to the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem.

And what of next time? The Second Coming – when Christ returns to wrap things up – and not presents! Have we given any thought or preparation for that day?

Perhaps it is time for us to think carefully about the words of the carol:

 “O Holy Child of Bethlehem

Descend to us, we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in

Be born in us today

O come to us, abide with us

Our Lord Emmanuel”