God With Us! The Work of Christmas
Tianna Durbin

Luke 2: 18-19
and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

I pray that everyone has enjoyed a Spirit-filled Christmas and that the New Year looks bright with great opportunity. For many years I struggled with the days after Christmas, particularly because of the excitement and hype leading up to Christmas, followed by the quiet days after. However, the more I embrace the Christmas story, the more I look upon “what’s next” with the same awe and wonder I feel at Christmas time. So, I have a few thoughts for you and I pray it brings you joy that you carry into this new season.

I share this scripture about Mary treasuring all that had happened and pondering them in her heart because it has made a big difference in my life after Christmas. The big idea here is that Christmas does not end at the manger for, the manger is only the beginning for all of us! We are invited, like Mary, to ponder all that has happened and allow it to shape how we live, love, and forgive as we live in Christ.

Mary does not rush past the miracle. She does not try to explain it away or immediately move onto the next thing. Instead, she holds it close. She treasures it. She lets the presence of Christ settle deep within her heart. In a season when the world tells us to pack up the decorations and move on, Mary teaches us the holy practice of staying—staying with the wonder, the mystery, and the life-changing truth that God has come near.

This New Year is not about leaving Christmas behind, but about carrying Christmas forward. The light that shined brightly in Bethlehem now shines into our everyday lives—into our homes, our relationships, our work, and even into our struggles. So as this New Year unfolds, may we resist the urge to rush ahead too quickly. May we treasure what God has already done. May we draw near to Jesus daily. And may the wonder of Christmas continue to guide us, reminding us that Emmanuel—God with us—is still at work, still calling us, and still leading us forward in hope.

I leave you with one amazing quote from a theologian named Howard Thurman. I pray it ushers in your best year yet! Let’s get to work, church, for there is a whole world out there who needs to come to know Christ! Here it is. . .be blessed.

The Work of Christmas by Howard Thurman
When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flock,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among others,
to make music in the heart.