Advent Preparations are Intentional

As I was taking my nap, I could hear whining in my room.  Maggie, my niece's dog, was in my room trying to get me out of bed.  To get there, this loving pet had purposely pushed the door open, walked down the hall, and into my room.  She had done it willfully, with the intention of having me meet her needs.  Maggie deliberately set out to get attention.

Because I have limited energy, I must be intentional about where to use it.  My doctor is intentional about keeping my blood counts stable.  My oncologist is intentional about balancing quality of life with quantity of life.  Those in the retail businesses are intentional about catching our attention and making us need what they are selling.

What is intentional in our celebration of Advent?  What is intentional in our Advent preparations?  What is intentional on our December calendars?  Yesterday, we discussed our traditions when celebrating our Savior's human birth.  People purposely choose which family traditions are giving them the focus they desire.  For me, the manger scene, music, and Luke 2 put my focus on the true meaning of this December holiday.  Some willfully give service or gifts to strangers so that they can make another person smile.  For me, single moms, homeless, or families dealing with mental illnesses are people I want to help smile.  Others deliberately decorate their yards to share their joy with neighbors and visitors.  For me, including lights, a manger scene, and an angel have been my past choices to focus on the true source of joy.

The Almighty God intentionally got our attention using all of our senses:  vision - bright star and radiant angels, hearing - angels speaking, touching - Mary putting Jesus in snug pieces of cloth, smelling - barn, cows, and sheep have their own odor, tasting - the shepherds were staying in the fields and would milk the sheep and make cheese, and emotions - excitement of what is coming and concern about no room for the baby's birth. 

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby,

guarding their flocks of sheep.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them,

and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.

They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.

“Don’t be afraid!” he said.

“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.

The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today

in Bethlehem, the city of David!

And you will recognize him by this sign:

You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth,

lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by

a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven,

and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph.

And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened

and what the angel had said to them about this child.

Luke 2:8 - 14, 16 - 17  NLT

God was intentional about every detail of His Son's arrival.  The angel was intentional about calming the fears of the shepherds before making the announcement. The shepherds were intentional about sharing the good news.  We make intentional choices in our lives everyday.  What do you do differently this season that is an intentional celebration of His birth?