“I don’t know if I’m comin or goin.”
That was something my grandmother frequently said. Usually when she was in a rush. We’d try to interrupt. She’d wave a hand, brush us out of her way, and move on to her next task.
Lately, I’ve found myself repeating those same words. Life has been more than hectic. We’ve hit snags we didn’t anticipate and hardships that make more than an inconvenience. In a time when I am normally very organized, well…I don’t know if I’m coming or going. In the hustle and bustle of gift buying, dinners, and parties, I think I’ve lost site…lost focus. That bothers me more than the upheaval.
This year, I purchased a rotating Christmas tree stand. Not only did it make decorating easy, but once completed, the gentle rotation allowed me to enjoy my entire tree. In the slow turn of the tree, baby Jesus—bundled in swaddling clothes—passed by. Mary and Joseph inched past, Joseph sweetly balancing his pregnant wife on a donkey. And then with another spin, a donkey and a cross turned the other direction. I wondered if Jesus ever pondered whether He was coming or going. His life was surely hectic.
Our king donned a donkey more than once in His lifetime. From the trip to Bethlehem as He neared birth, to exile after birth, and then again at His triumphant entry as King. The Son of God came without hesitation into a world that refused to accept Him. He never waivered in His love, in His goal, or in His affirmation that He was sent for a purpose. Nothing swayed Him. His full attention was in the reassurance we would be saved.
Getting my head around the amazing gift God gave is hard. In Jesus’ birth, there was peace. In His death and resurrection, hope. Now we wait for His return. Jesus always knew the direction He headed, and He never lost sight…despite.
When life keeps you in a tizzy—not knowing if you are coming or going—and when you lose focus of the real reason for Christmas, remember the One who came in your behalf. He came without hesitation. He went without regret. He will come again.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Cindy K. Sproles is a best-selling, award-winning author. She is a speaker and a conference teacher who teaches nationwide. Cindy is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries, www.christiandevotions.us, and www.inspireafire.com. She serves as a writing mentor with WRAMS (Writing Write Author Mentoring Service) and is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.