Scripture records that the period following the completion
of creation as we know it was a time of rest for the Creator (Genesis 2). The
day after the Israelites had marched around Jericho for six days once each day,
they marched around it seven times and watched the walls collapse allowing an
easy conquest (Joshua 6). Seemingly the day after Elijah humiliated 400 prophets
of Baal found him heading out of town fearing he would soon die at the command
of Queen Jezebel (I Kings 18-19).
Most of the disciples disappeared the day after Jesus was
arrested (Matthew 26:47-56). Many of them apparently hid in a room the day after Jesus was crucified and stayed there until Jesus revealed himself (John 20:19). What we do the day
after an event may say something about our character.
Today is the day after Christmas. What are you doing? Has it
in some measure been determined by what you did yesterday? How did yesterday
affect your decisions about today? Did the events of yesterday both in the past
and in the present affect your life at all?
A head cold, a demanding dog, the threat of storms and
tornadoes, and the lingering emotional darkness from the violence of man
against man has dampened the joy I usually have on the day after Christmas. The
reality is the head cold will go away, the dog is fun to have around, and the
storm front is long past. There is no ignoring, however, the grief we share
with those who will forever more have an empty chair where a loved and smiling
face should be.
I suppose Mary was glad, even if it was a stable, to have it
all to herself and her family again after the shepherds had left. We are not
told how many days the holy family had to stay in the stable. I cannot help
believing that Mary and Joseph worked to make the crude nursery as comfortable
as possible. For Mary the day after was most likely a day of rest.
With all the build-up we have for Christmas, perhaps that is
what we should have as our own focus. Make December 26 a day of rest. Allow the
beauty of the season to lie gently upon our spirits. Listen to the sounds of
the first Advent fulfilled, Christ has arrived. See the vibrancy of life and
hope in the middle of winter. We need to sit instead of go and let the reason
for the season sink a little deeper into our minds, into that part where dreams
are given birth and decisions are made to follow those dreams.
Today my wife and I talked of 2013 and what it might be
like. We talked of the decisions we might make, the goals we might seek, and
how things could or should change in the next twelve months. Tonight I am
listening to Christmas music. In a few moments my wife and I will watch a
Christmas dvd I received as a gift yesterday. We could not have done that if we
were catching up on after Christmas sales or returning appreciated but unwanted
gifts.
For all the other things that were going on today, there was
still the conscious decision to rest. God rested after he had brought creation
to the point he was satisfied. Mary rested after bringing the infant Son of God
into world. I believe we are in good company with deciding to make the day
after Christmas a time to rest. I think God may even smile with approval.
