All I Want For Christmas

In early motherhood, I was under the assumption that it was me who was to be teaching our sons all about life and God's world.  While that's true, I neglected to comprehend that motherhood was much more about what  God was teaching me through our sons.  He was building character and shining a light on my own selfishness and self-centeredness.  He was opening my eyes and my heart to His unfathomable love, mercy, and grace.

As our boys have continued to grow up, they're often the ones who are setting the example for me.  As they've become teenagers, I delight in hearing their perspectives and their hearts.  I read lyrics to a song one has written or the essay of another, and I'm blessed, for God regularly uses their lives to challenge, convict, and sharpen me.

Last night our firstborn gave the devotional at youth group. And once again, I marveled.  I marveled not only at the work that God is doing in our son's life, but that He's using our son to impart important Truth to his mama.

Christmas is just days away.  When we're young, we look forward to Christmas with childlike wonder.  The excitement builds as we dream about what treasures might be beneath our tree.

As we get a bit older, we begin to focus a bit more on giving. Of course, this also means we may focus more on doing (yes, Son, I hear you).  There's the shopping and the baking and the decorating and the card-addressing and the cooking and the party-attending.  There's the errand-running and the number-crunching and the calendar-balancing and the wrapping and the delivering and the playing a martyr because your family obviously doesn't understand the obvious sacrifices you're making....

But then Drew directed our attention to Simeon (Luke 2:22-35).  What did he want for Christmas?

For years, Simeon had been waiting for the promised Messiah.  It was his heart's longing and desire.  And the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would see the Messiah in his lifetime.

When Joseph & Mary presented Jesus at the temple, Simeon took Him in his arms and declared with joy-filled assurance:
"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to Your word;
for my eyes have seen Your salvation
that You have prepared in the 
presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel." (vs. 29-32)

Jesus was the only thing---EVERYTHING---Simeon longed for. He was the fulfillment of his heart's deepest desires and greatest need.  In Christ, he had everything.

And so I examine my heart, friends.  God peels back the layers and reveals the pride, the selfishness, the trappings. It hurts.  Yet as I confess and turn away from these things, I'm reminded of the beautiful and poignant reminder our son gave me last night:

Only Christ matters, friends.
Only Christ.