Overwhelming Advent

Let yourself be overwhelmed this season. This is the anthem playing on repeat in my head.

Let yourself be overwhelmed this season. Not by busy-ness. Not by gifts. Not by getting your Christmas card out before everyone else’s. Not by holiday parties. Not by having an Insta-worthy Christmas. Not by broken relationships. Not by envy of others. Not by pleasing everyone. Not by spending the most money. Not by your to-do list. Not by having the perfect tree. Not by seasonal loneliness. Not by the pressure to BAKE ALL THE THINGS.

But by Love.

By the sheer physical wonder that is immaculate conception. By the sacrifice of being born, knowing One would die a painful death. By the grace that covers us, prior to us realizing our need for it. By the obedience shown by an unwed teenager, knowing the shame it would bring. By the perfectly orchestrated timing of Jesus’ birth, with angels pointing prophets in His direction. By the culmination of generations that started broken and are redeemed with one of their own Flesh. By the promises laid out hundreds of years before the Birth, come true in an innocent babe. By the humility of the Highest King, born among the animals. By the faithfulness of a man who listened to an angel and became a father to the Father. By the most innocent of babes, the One who died just as pure as He was born. By the shepherds who traveled far to see this babe, based on the word of angels. By the redemption of humankind, through the most special of a little human. By the mercy given to us, after turning our backs on our Creator.

By the overwhelming Love that came to us in the humblest of forms.

Let yourself be overwhelmed this Advent season. Not by the world, but by the Babe born in the barn.