If we were to set aside any and all of our "Christmas" activities and thoughts for a moment... and imagined being present on that very day when Christ entered the world in the form of a man-child, what was it like - that very day that we strive to celebrate?
There were no decorated trees with packages under them, no ribbons, no bows. There was no Santa in red or reindeer with shiny noses. There weren't any elves or animated snowmen with top hats and there wasn't even a single strand of electric lights. What a desolate scene that first Christmas must have been.
No!...
Oh human imagine with me with deep thought, what wondrous adornment, what decoration our God provided that mere man in his greatest achievements of wonder would fail miserably to replicate...
In the glory of the night sky - a vacuum for man's marvel in itself, a star far more attractive than all the others stood brightly to mark the very location of God's greatest gift. A mere stable dirty and humble no doubt, and a manger where lowly animals fed - a place man would give no preference to, became the grand birthplace of heaven's greatest production. It was the most perfect place that God chose to display the breath taking beauty of His own pure, unrivaled humility.
The invited attendees to witness the spectacle of the arrival of God's gift were among the mere keepers of animals and three other men, whose uncommon wisdom led them to find God Himself. Though not likely to be invited by the kings among men, they were all deemed dignitaries to be welcomed by The Master of mankind, who judges and awards value by the content of a simple man's heart.
And oh the herald that accompanied delivery!...
Luke 2:9-14 (NLT) 9 "Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
...No well practiced choir, not even the grandest production of man could feign to replicate it!
Born of a woman of low social standing, who had no claim of fame among men except to be chosen of God for true beauty unseen by man's eye, the gift of God, given to man from the deepest and purest of love...
...was the way to Himself.
We can work in earnest and try in vain to make beauty seen such as this. But in truth the spectacular beauty of that day we choose rightly to celebrate, was found unseen by any physical eye of man and went unnoticed by many...
...it was the deep humility of God to offer His own heart to mankind.
So if there be any true way to respond, any way to celebrate between us in replication of the beauty of what we've received - what we truly celebrate in the gift to us of Christmas...
...let it be in the true beauty of our deepest humility and offering of love - first to God, and then between us, one to another - regardless of appearance or stature among men, remembering that what God values most among mankind is unseen by our eye.
Have a truly Merry Christ-mas!
Micah 6:8 "No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
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