The First Noel, The Best Noel
THE FIRST NOEL
She said NO to the fear rising up within her
to say YES to the angel's command not to fear!
She said NO to her own plans for that day, that week, that month, that year
so she could say YES to God's astounding plans for her.
She said NO to the comfort of delivering her child with her community's fold to say YES to do as Caesar told.
He said NO too.
He said NO to the cultural expectations of having a new bride who would serve him
when he chose to say YES to serving an expectant mother.
He said NO to a lifestyle that would have been convenient had he not married her,
to say YES to caring for her and the baby.
He said NO to his carpentry clients and his extended family's needs when he said YES to new instructions given in dreams.
Together, they said:
NO to complaining
so they could say YES to praising God
NO to self-entitlements
so they could say YES to identifying with the disadvantaged
NO to security in their land, community and families
so they could say YES to being a wandering, fugitive family, blown by God's will to every new place He called.
NO to their neighbours' expectations of what a normal family should be
so they could say YES to God's call be the Holy Family for all his children.
And just to be Emmanuel - God with us, Jesus said:
NO to heaven's quarters,
YES to a tiny womb
NO to a sudden appearance,
YES to passing through a birth canal
NO to His glorious splendour,
YES to being covered in amniotic fluid and his mother's blood
NO to a warm reception,
YES to the cold night
NO to a luxury bassinet,
YES to a smelly manger
NO to a plethora of servants,
YES to two whole-hearted parents
It cost them.
It cost them many NOs to be able to say the YESes that truly mattered.
For me. For you.
For our eternity.
Without their NOs there could not have been the First Noel.
And without your NOs, you cannot have your Best Noel.
The first NOEL began with many NOs.
And so, your BEST Noel begins with NO:
NO to a full calendar,
YES to God's surprises
NO to self-indulgence,
YES to self-denial
NO to cultural expectations,
YES to God's commands
NO to looking like we have it all under control,
YES to giving God full control
NO to what excites yet exhausts us,
YES to the rest only God can give us
NO to our own idols,
YES to worshipping God in Spirit and Truth.
NO to looking good in our own eyes,
YES to an honest confession.
NO to looking good in others eyes,
YES to giving generously and quietly.
NO to pleasing human beings
YES to pleasing God
NO to sweeping sin under the carpet
YES to exposing it to Christ's light
NO to what you know you can never have
YES to whatever He has planned instead
NO to self-pity
YES to self-love
NO to anxiety
YES to His peace
NO to being stressed
YES to being blessed
NO to any form of Christmas without CHRIST
YES to Christ!
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