Preparing My Heart for Christmas

As I move into the Christmas season I decided to pick up my copy of Nancy Guthrie’s Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus. It is a book of Advent readings from various Christian pastors and theologians designed to prepare us for the birth of Christ. I read it last year and decided to make it a tradition. So I am starting year number two of reading the book. But this year I am reading one a day (or so) hoping that God will use this to quiet my heart as I prepare to celebrate the birth of my Savior. I leave you with a quote from the first chapter, an excerpt by George Whitfield called “Contemplating Christmas”:

Did Jesus come into the world to save us from death, and shall we spend no part of our time in conversing about our dear Jesus; shall we pay no regard to the birth of him who came to redeem us from the worst of slavery, from that of sin, and the devil; and shall this Jesus not only be born on our account, but likewise die in our stead, and yet shall we be unmindful of him? Shall we spend our time in those things which are offensive to him? Shall we not rather do all we can to promote his glory and act according to his command?

O be not so ungrateful to him who has been so kind to you! What could the Lord Jesus Christ have done for you more than he has? Then do no abuse his mercy, but let your time be spent thinking and talking of the love of Jesus, who was incarnate for us, who was born of a woman, and made under the law, to redeem us from the wrath to come.

-George Whitfield