I decided to write down all the things I have to accomplish before Christmas in hopes of organizing my thoughts. With the long list in front of me, I figured I’d start by eating some chocolate. Because chocolate always helps me think more clearly.

To clarify my thinking further, I also guzzled down a large coke with two Advil. (Not my finest moment.)

Do you ever just want to push the pause button? That’s how I felt about December after I reviewed my calendar commitments.

I don’t want to spend Advent chasing after items on my to do list. I want to sit at His feet and worship.

A wise woman seeks Him in worship rather than wrestling with worry.

How about you? Are you weighed down by worry right now? Maybe like me you are thinking about what you didn’t accomplish as the weeks in this year slip away.

But here’s the thing: this Christmas we only need to witness God’s wonder at work. Nothing else matters. When your life is over, the Lord won’t greet you in heaven and say “Why didn’t you bake those Christmas cookies before December 25th?”

Tonight, I opened up the Gospel and re-read the story of how wise men chased after the Christ child, and I learned a few things from their example.

4 Ways Wise Men Still Seek Him

Submit in Awe

I am convicted by the single-minded pursuit of these men who pressed on in their pilgrimage to see the Messiah. They set aside their personal agendas to purely pay homage to Him. This Advent I want to set aside selfishness to sit at His feet and see my Savior.

“….Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2, NIV)

Shout out Praise

This time of the year is ripe with opportunities to share the Gospel story. I don’t want to stand silently in the shadows when I should be pointing people to the Light. May God give me courage to share when questions come and opportunities arise.

“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” (vs. 6)

Spill over with Joy

When I slow down and really seek Him with wholehearted devotion, the Holy Spirit fills me up with a sweet song of joy that brims over and brings delight. But I can’t delight in HIs presence if I am distracted by fear and doubt. I must stop fussing over my circumstances and start focusing on Christ.  

“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” (v. 10)

Surrender Their All

The wise men presented their treasure to Jesus. Christmas is not about hoarding what is already His. I must open up my hands and offer up whatever I have to Jesus.

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (v. 11)

This week, I want to encourage you to start each day by whispering a simple prayer to your Savior:

Lord, I want to see You today. Show me Your glory. 

To help you start your day right, I’ve created a free printable prayer graphic just for you as a visual reminder. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and  grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library. 

If we decide to set aside our crazy list of expectations and truly surrender our Decembers to Jesus, He will fill us up with His presence and pour His life and peace into our weary souls. With hearts settled on Him we will have the strength to say no to stress and yes to sharing His love with the watching world.

This Advent, let’s watch for His wonder rather than waste time and worry.

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