Are we ready?

Christmas is here.  Are you 'ready'?

Something I find myself asking myself every year.  Something people say often.  Something we are always wondering.  Are we ready? 

Ready for what, exactly?  Ready for opening presents?  Ready with wrapped gifts, stocking stuffers, planned meals, food, goodies, treats, cards, trimmings and decorations?  What exactly do we mean when we ask ourselves, 'are we ready'?

I wonder if perhaps we are thinking about the wrong things when we think of being ready.  After all, I have been taught that Christmas is not about the presents under the tree.  It isn't about the traditions, the decorations, the tree, the garlands, wreaths, turkey, stuffing, or pie.  No, I was taught that it was a celebration of the birth of our King... our Saviour, Jesus Christ the Lord.  So, when I ask 'am I ready', I should really be looking at the state of my heart rather than the state of my house.  How does my heart look?  Have I prepared my heart and mind for Jesus, filling it with gifts of love for Him, preparing myself to give my all to Him for yet another year?  Am I 'ready' for the things He will be bringing to my life in the coming days/weeks/months/years?  Am I 'ready', am I humbled, am I in awe of the gift that He gave by giving up His divine power, wrapping Himself in the womb of the woman He created, and being born as a helpless baby, completely dependant on a young man and a young woman, both having never had a baby before, both completely inexperienced as parents, both realizing that this child was bigger than even they could possibly hope to imagine?  And all this because He loved me?  A sinner?  A child who hadn't even been born yet?  A seemingly insignificant speck of a person in the grand lifetimes of many who have gone before me, and the many that will come after? 

Am I ready for His outpouring of Love upon this body?  The knowledge of what He did, of what He would yet have to do?  And of what He is doing now?

Am I ready to give the only gift I have to Him who gave me everything?  The only thing I have, which isn't even worthy of Him, but is all He asks of me?  No pretty paper, no gift tag, no sparkle or shine...

Just me.  All of me.

Am I ready for Christmas?  Am I ready to accept that I have a gift to give, one that is not easy to give, one that I try to take back even when I have already given it... one which He patiently and lovingly waits for every day? 

Am I ready to give myself to Him?  Am I ready to give the control I so crave over to Him?

Sure, Christmas is a wonderful time!  It is a celebration of His ultimate gift, of His sacrifice.  Of the promise fulfilled in that tiny baby in a manger, the promise of the Saviour given to God's people after sin entered the world through the first two people God made on this earth.  It is filled with fun, family, gifts, food, and good times with friends.  But what is it really about?  What are we really preparing for?

Am I ready for Christmas?