Christmas! The most wonderful time of the year. I love Christmas. I love the tree with lots of white lights on it. I love the packages under it. I love the music. I love the movies (my favorite Christmas movie is Christmas Vacation. LOL). I love the Nativity sets I have, and yes, I have a few. But the thing I love most is the look of excitement on the faces of my grandkids.
We have a family tradition of attending a Christmas Eve candlelight service. It started many years ago. In the past, I would have a house full of people for dinner, church, and opening packages. Now instead of the family coming to our house, we go to Canyon to spend Christmas with our kids and attend the candlelight service at Harvest Connexion in Amarillo. I have a picture I took a couple of years ago of my grandson, he was 2 years old. Don (PaPa) is holding a candle. Liam is looking at the flame with such a look of wonder on his face. To me, that captures the Wonder of Christmas best.
Luke 2:1-21 gives us the story of the birth of our Savior. This story is full of wonder. Can you imagine being a young woman and being told you were pregnant, even though you were a virgin? Can you imagine being the man who was engaged to her and being told she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit and would give birth to the Savior of the world? Can you imagine traveling several miles from your home, in labor, and giving birth in a stable with animals all around you? I can’t. My youngest grandchild was born in the middle of August. I was blessed to be there for her birth. My daughter was in a sterile hospital with great nurses and doctors, and best of all, an epidural. It was such a miracle to witness, but nothing compares to the birth of Jesus.
Can you imagine being the shepherds in the fields with their sheep, and Angels coming to give you the good news of the birth of the Promised Messiah? Luke 2:8-14 tells us the Angels told them they would find the baby wrapped in cloths laying in a manger (Luke 2:12). And THAT is the whole Wonder of Christmas! A baby wrapped in cloths. A baby who had left heaven. A baby who was born to be both man and God. A baby who had been prophesied many years earlier. Isaiah 9:6 tells us, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the covenant will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” A baby. Just a little tiny human who needed to be cleaned up, warmed up, and fed. A baby who was like all other babies, but a baby wrapped in wonder. A baby who would grow up and play with His siblings. A baby who learned from his earthly father how to be a carpenter. A baby who went into ministry. A baby who was crucified, died, and rose again to forgive me and you for our sins. A baby who WILL come again. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
We want to thank Hope Warren for sharing this post.
Women's Ministry 