“‘Twas the night before Christmas . . .”  — those are famous words, but what about the night before the day before Christmas?  Christmas Eve eve is seldom mentioned or thought about.  It’s just another holiday shopping day.

However, on Christmas Eve eve; Mary and Joseph were already on the road from their hometown of Nazareth to the little town of Bethlehem, traveling to their Christ*mas destination.

There were headed to Bethlehem to pay taxes.  And they were probably wondering about the fiscal cliff that the new, unplanned Baby and the new, unwanted taxes would cause for a poor carpenter and his wife.  Still, they obediently walked on, hoping to get to Bethlehem the before the Child was born.

Christmas Eve eve means Christ*mas is close at hand, not tomorrow, but very soon.  It means being very pregnant with the possibilities of new life — that “God with us” is about to show up and show out.

To quote Paul of Tarsus, writing to people pregnant with the possibilities of new life:  “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you . . .”

Christ*mas Eve eve, like the pains of childbirth, can be very uncomfortable.  Christ is ready to come forth, wanting to be birthed in you, but there’s a price to pay — pain that will produce spiritual gain.

This Christ*mas Eve eve, why not contemplate Christ’s love and sacrifice for you?  Why not surrender to His will and authority in your life “until Christ is formed in you“?