The Day after Christmas

Welcome to Our Daily Bread. I'm Sheridan Boise and I've called today's reading The Day After Christmas. After all the joy of Christmas Day, the following day felt like a letdown. We'd stayed overnight with friends but hadn't slept well. Then our car broke down as we were driving home. Then it started to snow. We had abandoned the car and taxied home in the snow and sleet, feeling blah. We're not the only ones who felt low after Christmas Day.

Whether it's from excessive eating, the way carols suddenly disappear from the radio, or the fact that the gifts we bought last week are now on sale half price, the magic of Christmas Day can quickly dissipate. The Bible never tells us about the day after Jesus' birth. But we can imagine that after walking to Bethlehem, scrambling for accommodation, Mary's pain in giving birth, and having shepherds drop by unannounced, Mary and Joseph were exhausted. Yet as Mary cradled her newborn, I can imagine her reflecting on her angelic visitation, Elizabeth's blessing, and her own realization of her baby's destiny. Mary pondered such things in her heart, which must have lightened the tiredness and physical pain of that day.

We'll all have blah days, perhaps even the day after Christmas. Like Mary, let's face them by pondering the One who came into our world, forever brightening it with His presence. Today's scripture reading is from Luke chapter 2 verses 15 to 20. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they'd been told. Let's pray together.

Lord, after the excitement of a big day of celebration, we can sometimes feel flat the day after. But Jesus, we praise You for being the One who has entered our flat and dark world, forever lifting us up and brightening our days with Your presence. Like Mary, in those flat days we are going to ponder all that You are, everything that You have done, and all that You are yet to do. Lord, thank You for brightening our days and lifting our lives out of the humdrum. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Thanks for listening. I'm Sheridan Voisey and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.