By Linda La Croix
The entire Bible has stories that hold a greater meaning. As we seek its truths, we will grow a deeper spiritual understanding. The well-known nativity story celebrated every December is one of them. A spiritual walk asks us to look at these stories metaphysically, which means to look beyond the physical and seek the lessons for our spiritual development.
The true gift in the nativity story is to know that it did not just symbolize the birth of Jesus 2,000 years ago. It is a story of a child born to be the light of the world – a new life that was born to show us how to use our light.
While we celebrate Jesus’ birth, we also celebrate how we can use this story to change our life! This is a time for us to rebirth ourselves into a new or better way of living.
Matthew 1:21(NIV) says: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”
The name Jesus means “savior,”; and he was born into the world so God could walk among us and with us as us.
The light birthed in the story of the nativity was not only for that time. Today, that light still represents choices and experiences that take place in the lives of all people. Our stories will have different circumstances than those in the Bible, but we will learn the same lessons. Every day, we are given free will to choose between the light and the dark or the good and the bad.
We are alerted to our lessons when we see our choices in our mind’s eye, like a video. Or, hear our higher selves speaking, a little voice in our heads. And, sometimes, we just have a gut feeling that we shouldn’t do or say something. These are our nudges alerting us that we are in a time of awareness, of choosing between light and dark, good or bad.
In the book of John, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.” When you are in the midst of choosing, seeking right or wrong, the light or darkness, you are consciously validating the birth of Jesus. With awareness and contemplation, you connect your consciousness to God-consciousness.
And that is the gift Jesus’ birth gave us – the Christ’s presence is in us!
Trying as intentionally as we can to be an angel of light, we can also make errors. This means we miss the mark. Unity minister Eric Butterworth called sin “Self-inflicted nonsense.” And we redeem ourselves from these errors by acknowledging them and choosing to make better choices.
With this awareness – spiritually seek God by being trusting and loving, like Mary. See your new thoughts as virgin ideas which were unknown to you before. If you have missed the mark, forgive yourself and rebirth new creative ways to uplift your life in positive ways.
Like Joseph – do not judge others, but follow the thoughts God lays upon your heart and do the right thing.
Do not let your mind get so clogged up with earthly or material things that you do not have room for God’s light in your Inn (mind).
Prepare the stable within your heart to allow the Christ light Jesus brought into the world to support your conscious connection to God.
Be like the three kings; give yourself time to pray and meditate with God often. This practice will bring you the spiritual gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Your life will overflow with an abundance of creative thoughts, a mind that has more light than darkness, and a spirit of love.
Be like the angel and spread the good news! As a child of God, we, too, have the Christ light within us. At any time, we can choose to forgive ourselves. We can change our minds and choose God’s light and love over darkness by our awareness of Jesus’ purpose and actively changing our ways.
Lastly, be a shepherd, and seek the light. There you will find God as Spirit awaiting your attention and gratitude.
The light of God lives moves and has it’s being within your life. When you ponder the nativity story this Christmas season, may the star which shined so brightly over the manger call you to illuminate your conscious mind into greater ways of being.
Merry Christmas,
Linda La Croix is the Unity Director & Prayer Chaplain at Unity of Lake Orion
Find positive and uplifting posts on her Facebook Page, A Spiritual WalkÂ
