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"So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.' And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger."
(Luke 2:15-16)
Two weeks from today is Christmas Day. This week, I will focus our devotions on being intentional this Christmas Season, making the effort to focus on Christ during the busyness of this season. It is the most wonderful time of the year for many reasons. But if we are not careful, we will get caught up in a lot of good things and miss the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
The shepherds hurried (speudo: to make haste, with speed) to the manger to see the Babe. Their singular focus was to go and see the Christ Child, born of the Virgin Mary. I want to be that laser-focused on Jesus this Christmas Season. He is the reason for this wonderful and festive season. Join me in keeping Him the priority over the next two weeks when things crank up and our schedules get crammed.
On November 30th, Bart Millard of MercyMe was the guest narrator at the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT at Disney World. Ashley and I happened to be there that night. Simu Liu canceled, so Disney called Bart Millard to come fill in. Liu is a Canadian actor known for his roles in the Barbie movie and as the title character in the Marvel movie Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Millard said the day before the event, he was taking his kids to school in Nashville, TN, and that's when he got the call. He said, "You don't have to ask me twice to come tell the story of the birth of Jesus!" He did a great job reading the story of Jesus' birth and the Nativity. He said MercyMe had been blessed for 20 years to come to Disney each year and tell people about Jesus. When he said that, the crowd burst into applause!
The Candlelight Processional at EPCOT is a powerful event that runs from November 24 to December 30, 2023. It features a choir, full orchestra, and reading from Scripture focused on Jesus' birth. Brent Crowe is a pastor in Orlando, and he told me that he and his family begin the Christmas Season each year by going to the Candlelight Processional. What a great tradition to help focus on Christ, without whom there would be no Christmas.
Over the next couple of weeks, as you get your house ready for company, continue your decorations, and of course, do that last-minute shopping, don't forget to focus each day on Jesus. Pray, read the Word of God, and look for opportunities to share His wonderful message with a broken and hurting world.
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