The Wonder of Christmas

And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. Luke 2:18

It really is a simple story.

I have heard it over and over again so the details are etched in my memory. From my youngest years in Sunday School I can remember the virgin Mary, the manger, the angels, shepherds, and wise men. In my own home we were taught that Christmas is about the birth of the baby Jesus. As far back as I can remember I have an image of angels coming down and announcing the birth of the Christ child to the shepherds in the field.

A few years ago I can remember being told that the Wise men did not get to the baby while he was still in the manger. The words of  Matthew 2:11 confirmed it for me, “ And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.” “The house” is a far cry from a stable, Mary and Joseph had moved – were they back from Egypt? There had obviously been a passing of time.

Another year I remember hearing teaching from the words of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Luke 1. She said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” She was openly naming her own need for a Savior. She knew she was not sinless but as spiritually needy as any other young woman God might have chosen.

As I look back now and “ponder” all of the things I have learned through the years about the birth of my own Savior I have come to see some of what is bothering me about our (my) current Christmas celebrations. For weeks I have been thinking about gifts and who should get what. I have been planning a couple of meals and gatherings of old friends and new ones to give us opportunity to fellowship around the celebration of the birth of Christ. In a nutshell, I have been very busy these last few weeks.

When I stop and think about how Mary and Joseph, the angels, the shepherds in the fields, and even the wise men responded to the news of the birth of the Child King in Bethlehem, I can see that they did not make themselves constantly busy with other things.

Though each one had preparations, and even a trip to make, they also took time to ponder and worship Christ. Early in her pregnancy Mary went first to her cousin Elizabeth’s and then returned and after travelling to Bethlehem and giving birth to Jesus she was soon back on the road with Joseph to go to Egypt to protect the new King. The Angels announced the news of the Christ-child’s birth to the shepherds and they left the fields to find Him. The wise men travelled far to greet Him and bring gifts. All this to say that it is not as if they had nothing to do but ponder and worship – but ponder and worship is what they took the time to do amid the other things they were doing.

• The angels:  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:13-14
• Mary: And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:18-19
• The shepherds: And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.. Luke 2:20
• The wise men: And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11

I am not one who has a big problem with the Christmas tree and wreaths and gifts. As long as they are not the things we worship and adore at Christmas, they are harmless. (If they are idols – that is a different story!). But, I do think we need to take some examples from those who we read about in the scriptures.

Over the next few days will you stop all the Christmas commotion to ponder these things, to glorify God, and to worship Him? Perhaps then we will be more spiritually gratified and less materially unsatisfied.