“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Zechariah 9:9

These words were written 500 or so years before they came to pass. Matthew, as he describes Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, again uses the words This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet … in Matthew 21:4. This promised celebration in Zechariah, however, doesn’t tell the whole story. Finally, it seems the King of kings and Lord of lords is getting the public recognition He is worthy of, but in less than a week it will culminate in the ultimate tragedy and then morph into the greatest triumph of all time.

Likewise, our Christmas celebrations often mask the pressures, frustrations, and fatigue we experience during December. Hopefully, our allegiance to Christ is sure. Nevertheless, our emotions can be fickle, like the crowd who celebrated Jesus one day and crucified Him a few days later.  How do we keep Christ in Christmas? Keep Christ in your day. Start the day with Him, remember Him in the middle, and end your day asking Him to bless your sleep and prepare you for what tomorrow holds. The emotions will rise and fall. Children or co-workers, shoppers or drivers, spouses and best friends, servers, customer service reps, or tech support will push our buttons, but that doesn’t mean we have to respond in kind. Jesus kept His eye on the goal. He was not taken in by the praise, and He remained humble on that donkey. He stayed the course when the beatings began. With His help, we can keep our cool and make it through the day with our character intact and our testimony unblemished.

The One who could announce the triumphal entry well in advance of the day, knows what our day holds. Granted, He hasn’t announced it, but He still knows. Be it triumph or tragedy, He desires to walk with us through it. Today, in the knowledge that He accurately predicted the beginning of Jesus’ last week, take hold of His hand and let Him guide you through your day and the remainder of your December. December is a mixed blessing. It is too often a race to the finish on Christmas morning instead of a refreshing opportunity to serve others and give gifts that show thoughtfulness and bring encouragement. Instead of turning December into a marathon of special events let it be an invitation to not miss special moments. The One who prophesies accurately can make your December a season of wonder. Cling to Him.
 

Jay W. Hill