Tuesday, December 24, 2013

"The Wonder of the Wonderful"


     I received a note yesterday from a dear friend who wished our family "a wondrous Christmas."

    "His name shall be called Wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6).

    My friend's blessing speaks beautifully of a primary sensibility that should fill our hearts concerning the season, or more to the point, the Subject of the season.  We do well to still ourselves in the remembrance of our Lord's transcendent and overwhelming glory, as revealed in the wonder of His becoming, for our sakes, "meek and lowly" (Matthew 11:29).  Only the God of Scripture, the true and living God, would have devised such a purpose regarding our redemption.  If we were unfamiliar with the Christmas story, the notion of an infinite Deity entering a finite and fallen world for the purpose of sacrificing Himself for enemies would fill us with fascination.  "How could such a thing be?!" we would wonder, and "wonder" would indeed comprise the proper response.

    They say that familiarity breeds contempt.  This may sometimes be true.  However, familiarity also frequently fosters complacency.  We must not allow the glory and story of Christmas to fall victim to this tendency.  Amid the trappings of the season, we must still ourselves to allow the wonder of the Wonderful to fill our hearts with joy, our minds with fascination, and our lives with the realized joy of Christ's living presence.  Indeed, the manger of Bethlehem doubtless long ago crumbled into dust.  The manger of our trusting hearts, however, finds the Spirit of the Lord Jesus present and wonderful.  "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6).  Do we know this to be true?  Does such a sensibility frequently fill and fulfill our hearts?  Does a voice from somewhere deep within us call out, "Wonderful!?"  If not, a determined remembrance of Christmas, and of it's Christ, provides opportunity to escape complacency.  We must.  We must!  An open Bible, a prayerful heart, and the conviction that Lord Jesus offers the most fascinating path of pondering our hearts can travel will free us for the journey into "a wondrous Christmas."

"Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the gods?  Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"
(Exodus 15:11)
"Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, His wonders."
(I Chronicles 16:12).

Weekly Memory Verse   
    Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which, being interpreted, is God with us."
(Matthew 1:23)

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