Words of Reflection
The day before Christmas Eve. What does it mean for you?
For many people it is a day of tremendous activity and even pressure. Some are traveling, braving busy airports and crowded highways. Others are getting last-minute gift shopping done, while others are frantically cleaning the house for expected company. At work there are last-minute responsibilities that beg for attention, and we begin to wonder which of them can be put off until after the holiday. For those in ministry there are worship services to plan, volunteers to contact, messages to prepare, and in the midst of it all we are often reminded how pastoral needs do not follow a holiday calendar.
As we turn the corner of our Advent journey and see Bethlehem just ahead, it seems that the closer we find ourselves the more things get in the way of our final steps. In that light, as our final “regular” devotional before Christmas Eve, we’d like to give you a gift: some space to breathe.
Breath is such a powerful image in Scripture. It’s the breath of God that gifts life to humanity. The psalmist uses imagery of breathing to describe the creation of the entire cosmos. Jesus breathes on his disciples as an invitation to receive the Holy Spirit. Breath, in Scripture, is creative, restorative, and life-giving.
As we rush around in these final days of Advent, we need to catch our breath. But more than that - we need to receive the gift of God’s refreshing that comes from stillness and rest in his presence. Our song for today reflects that need in a beautiful way: by putting us in the mindset of Mary, who had to feel overwhelmed as the birth of the child given to her by God approached. The lyrics capture powerfully what she might have been thinking as she and Joseph saw Bethlehem coming near:
I am waiting in a silent prayer
I am frightened by the load I bear
In a world as cold as stone
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now, be with me now
The song’s refrain, “Breath of heaven, hold me together,” is one we do well to pray as Christmas draws near. If you find yourself feeling swept up in the busy-ness of these days, consider taking a few moments when you are most overwhelmed to simply stop and breathe. Below you will find a few verses of Scripture you can pray as you breathe in and out, inviting God to bring his calm and peace so that the truth of this season can outshine the to-do list.
Or maybe you simply pray the refrain of today’s song:
Breath of heaven, hold me together.
Scripture for Meditation:
“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”—Job 33:4 (NIV)
“Be still, and know that I am God.”—Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”—Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
Song: Breath of Heaven (lyrics here)
Questions for Contemplation:
How can you intentional carve out time in the next couple of days to personally connect with God and receive the gift of his presence? Spend some time reflecting on how that gift is a result of the day we celebrate.
For some, these days are the opposite of busy and stressful. Some find their Christmas quiet and still not by choice, but by circumstance. If that is where you find yourself, how have you sensed God’s comforting presence in this season? If you know others who are struggling with illness and loneliness this season, how might God be inviting you to offer intercessory prayer for them?
Spend some time considering these petitions found in today’s song. Which resonates most with you? Why? Offer it to God and spend some time in stillness, trusting in him to answer.
—Hold me together
—Be forever near me
—Lighten my darkness
—Pour over me your holiness