Holy Hush
Café Menu for Monday, November 17, 2014
Today’s Special is: Holiday Dreams Can Become Nightmares if Jesus Isn’t There
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Alyssa Woollard
Main Ingredient:
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 RSV
Entrée:
We say it every year, “This year will be different.” Not so busy. Not so rushed. And every year in spite of our best intentions we end up feeling rushed.
We know what we need to do is just… slow… down. Be still and listen. JUST CALM DOWN.
But knowing and doing are two different things. We need to make time to stop and listen to the King of Kings.
Breathe deep. Rest. Inhale YEH WEY.
But how? How do we get off of this insanity train?
Full speed ahead into Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s again. How do we stop dreaming unrealistic holiday visions of perfectly decorated holiday homes and dishes, and draw near with holy reverence to the one perfect LORD? We need to stop.
Breathe Deep. Selah here. Be still and listen. Jesus is near.
It’s time to turn our thinking upside down; flip it on its head; guard and protect the holy quiet, the snow stilled hush ahead. Stop letting others' expectations and society’s pseudo visions of all that is good rob us of what’s best. Stop the seduction, the endless reduction of the most holy of holies into sales and obsessions with this year’s newest productions.
We need to…
Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
Luke 12:15 ESV
This year, let’s predetermine before November ever comes what we will say “yes” to, what we will say “no” to and let our plans reflect such.
What do you want most this holiday season? This year can be different if we predetermine such.
Let's guard our steps. Let the season fill us, renew us, lift us up again.
Take Out:
Before the endless barrage of invitations and holiday celebrations inevitably comes, have predetermined in your heart beforehand how much time you truly have to spend meeting others’ expectations.
Ask yourself is this the best use of my time? Ten years from now how will I wish I would have spent my time?
Dessert:
Lord God Almighty, thank You for loving us well. Thank You for sending Your angels to guard and protect us, and for the blood of Jesus that saves us all. Lord, please bless us with wisdom to know how to best use our words to guard our time and resources.
© 2014 by Alyssa Woollard. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Monday, 17 November 2014.
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