Don’t lose your wonder this Christmas
‘So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.’ — John 1:14
‘He became what we are so that he might make us what he is.’ — Athanasius
Ho ho ho-my goodness, Christmas is next week!
But I’ll admit, I’m fighting hard to stay enthusiastic about it.
The truth is, after seeing the same Morrisons great-value turkey deal TV ad and heard dear Mariah blaring in the shops for the 100th time, I can start to feel more and more un-Christmassy.
Now, before you roll your eyes at my Grinchy Scroogeness and bin this email alongside your most recent wrapping paper disaster, stay with me.
I promise you I don’t hate Christmas.
What I do hate is how, by the time Christmas Day arrives, I’ve often lost my wonder of the reason why we even celebrate it.
Because, honestly, the glory of Jesus—the infinite, eternal, perfect Son of God—being born as a tiny human baby should overwhelm us with awe.
It is indescribably amazing.
The infinite Son of God became an infant child.
The Word couldn’t utter a single syllable.
The Creator chose to enter His creation.
The King of the universe arrived on Earth without anyone really knowing about it—born not in a royal palace to great fanfare, but in an ordinary Bethlehem inn surrounded by his parents, some shepherds and a host of wise men.
He came, knowing that this would be His entrance. He came, knowing that, except for sin, He would endure the full human experience with all its highs and lows.
He came, knowing that He would have no home to call His own. He came, knowing that He would be constantly misunderstood, shunned, harassed, rejected—even by His own family and friends. He came, knowing that He would be the lowest of the low.
He came, knowing that He would ultimately suffer one of the worst deaths the people He made had come up with.
He came, knowing that He had to go through the horror of the cross to defeat the devil, sin and death, before coming triumphantly out of an empty grave.
He came knowing all of this, because He loves us.
It is absolutely breathtaking. We simply can’t fully grasp the glory of it.
But what we can do is let the glory of the incarnation grasp us.
We can reflect on it with wonder. We can sing about it with joy. We can feast on it in our hearts with gratitude. We can tell our family and friends about it with confidence.
All I want for Christmas is to be in wonder of Jesus.
I’m praying that more than anything else, we find ourselves captivated by the glory of His arrival here on earth—becoming one of us, so that we might become one with Him, forever.
Have a wonderful time celebrating Him this Christmas!
Love,
Theo
