Story

We live in a world that loves the latest and the greatest. We are always hungry for what is new. We crave new homes, cars, phones, televisions, clothes, and shoes. I’m certainly wired that way.

Maybe that’s why I think the Christmas season, more specifically the Christmas story, is so very important. There is something steady, enduring, and hopeful about the birth of Christ that continues to remind us of what is truly important in life.

In 2018, we need this story now more than ever. When we think or read about the birth of Christ, sometimes it’s tempting to want to bring a new twist or insight to the Christmas story. But this year, read the story. Share the story. As is.

If you’re going to add anything, maybe add a little more imagination. Put yourself in the shoes of the characters. As you read the story in Matthew and Luke, do it with a fresh appreciation and marvel.

Imagine being Mary. You’re a young woman from Galilee engaged to a carpenter. You have no vision of giving birth to royalty—much less the divine—no dreams of being famous, of having statues and paintings made in honor of you. You are a small country girl when suddenly an angel appears and announces you will give birth to the Son of God—but through immaculate conception.

Imagine being Joseph, a humble carpenterfrom a tiny town called Nazareth. Elitists would declare nothing good comes from Nazareth. Then one day your fiancée, Mary, says,“God placed Messiah in my womb!” “Yeah ok, Mary,” you would think. Thankfully, an angel appears to you in a dream and tells you to take Mary as your wife. What was Joseph’s response? Matthew 1:24 says, “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”

Now imagine being the shepherd, the magi, Gabriel, or the angelic choir. Imagine what they felt. What would you have done had you been there? Thankfully, what really matters is how you respond to the story today. Mary, Joseph, the angel, the shepherds, and the magi, all bowed down before their King in faith. They worshiped Jesus and knew He was the Son of God, Messiah.

How will you respond?

I pray you would respond with saving faith. And every time you read the Christmas story, I hope you remember it fondly as the beginning of the greatest story ever told and the greatest life ever lived—the life of Jesus Christ.

What is your favorite Christmas song?

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

What is your favorite Christmas dish or drink?