11 Days to Christmas, Sunday, December 14, 2025

“Braking for Joy”

We have reached the third Sunday of Advent, and our calendars are picking up speed as we race toward the end of the year. This is the perfect moment to reflect on the Advent theme of Joy. Not because Joy is missing from our lives, but because we might miss some of its greatest gifts if we move too quickly.

I am speaking to myself in this devotion. I am one of those fast moving, high energy people who cannot sit still. Call it ants in my pants or anything else you like, but these are the days when I must pay extra attention. Tasks become my focus. Do not give me explanations, just hand me the bullet points.

And this is where I will miss it: As I check off my list, then double check it again, I will overlook the writing in between the lines. That is dangerous for me because so much of life takes place between those lines. Important things that may not even be written anywhere, yet are completely real and meaningful. I am hoping that admitting this danger will help me put the brakes on myself.

Does this make sense to you? Do you have something on your horizon that could easily drain your Christmas Joy? Do not let that happen. Perhaps you can take a few moments to recognize the places where you tend to lose focus, and gently slow things down.

God wants us to enjoy the Holidays. These are sacred moments that only God can create, and God did not create them so that we would miss the blessings set before us. The Lord is ready to pour out Joy.

Are we ready to receive it? If not, this is the time to prepare.

“Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him.”  (Proverbs 37:7, NRSVue)