“They spread the word . . about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed.” Luke 2:17 NKJV
“No matter what else has been ordinary in your life, Christmas is amazing!”
My thoughts today are that “Christmas is amazing.”
An amazing life is exactly what I think every person is looking for – amazing relationships and friends, an amazing job, an amazing marriage and family, and an amazing faith experience. People yearn for life out of the ordinary, somehow beyond the routine and predictable, that’s stimulating and invigorating, an exciting adventure that makes one’s heart beat faster, your eyes sparkle with expectation, and your dreams feel closer.
A lot of things are described as amazing, some sincerely, others not so much. Steve Jobs and Apple Corporation amazed an industry industry with the IPod and IPhone, and more recently, the IPad. Too many advertised gadgets fall far short of that overused adjective. Really, there aren’t many times or places where such a description is true. Maybe your experience of something or some place seems amazing at first, but seldom remains so.
Each year, you find many things you hope to be spectacular can’t quite live up to their promise or your expectations. The NBA advertises itself as “where amazing happens!” That’s probably a promise bigger than the NBA can achieve – entertaining, yes; amazing, not really. But I know where amazing really does happen; that happens in your heart when you invite Jesus there.
I want you to hear God whisper into your heart, “No matter where else things have been ordinary in your life, Christmas is where amazing happens!” Here’s what the Bible says about Jesus’ birth, “When they had seen Him, the shepherds spread the word concerning what had been told them (by the Angel) about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed.” Luke 2:17-18 NKJV. All who heard the shepherds’ testimony were amazed. Christmas is amazing because a child, conceived supernaturally and born miraculously, was God’s one and only Son who became your Savior, dying on a cross to express God’s astonishing love and grace – in order to give you an amazing life you long for, abundantly now and eternally forever. An amazing life is your choice.
“When the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman . . so He could adopt us as His very own children.” Galatians 4:4-7 NLT. Now that’s truly amazing! Deep in the heart of every person is the yearning in one’s soul that you need a Savior. Every effort of your own fails to provide that needed forgiveness, cleansing, and newness. Christmas is all about a Savior! Jesus can make amazing happen in your heart. John 3:16-17.
Christmas is God’s promise that the deepest longing of your heart can be realized. If Christmas is less than amazing to you, it is because you are missing Jesus at the center of your celebration. You alone cannot repair the damage to the soul that sin has done; you cannot just start over and do better. To be redeemed; you need a Redeemer. Romans 8:32-39 NIV. Now that’s when and where amazing really happens, not just at Christmas but any and every day.
My prayer this Christmas is that you will spread the word about this amazing Child.