Come, All You Weary Travelers

I don't know if that line speaks to you, but it definitely does to me.

"Come, all you weary travelers" is actually a lyric from one of the songs in the Children's Christmas Musical that debuts this weekend. The song is sung after the angels have left the shepherds and gone into heaven. The shepherds turn to one another and say,"Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened." So they hurry off and find Mary, Joseph, and the baby.

I identify with the hurry part of that last sentence. Between buying gifts, rehearsing the Christmas Musical, and the regular routine of life, I've found myself missing the main event.

Today I'm taking my cue from Mary. Nestled after the verses about the shepherds we discover Mary's response to sacred evening. "So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen, him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:16-19)

Right now, in this moment, pause and remember who that baby is. Remind yourself that the child in the manger is the Savior who died on the cross and rose again. It is because of that gift that you and I even have reason to breathe today. Whether weary or not, take time each day to cherish the birth of the Messiah in your heart.

This Saturday night there will not be services in ANY of the Children's areas. Instead, we invite families to attend a performance of "The Best Christmas Present Ever" by the preschoolers and "Living Nativity" by elementary students. We hope to see you there at 5:00pm for the show and at 6:30pm for Christmas in the courtyard. See the IMPACT home page for more details!

*Photo from flickr