My
wife and I sat at the dinner table the other night talking about Christmas. We
were trying to make some plans. The Christmas season can go by so fast. It can
become a blur of activity that seems to rush by us at warp speed. Sometimes in
the rush of Christmas, the things that we really want to do get crowded out by
all the other things that come along. Without a plan of action, the season is
over and done before a person has time to act. So we sat at our table and
talked about what we would like to do while our children are home, who we want
to invite over, what gatherings we want to host.
Before
the world began, God had a plan for Christmas. The first Christmas did not come
as a surprise for God. In fact, he orchestrated it down to the last detail.
A
big question every year is where we will celebrate Christmas as an extended
family. God chose
the place for this first Christmas event. "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are
small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be
ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
Micah 5:2 (NIV)
Another big question is when we will
celebrate Christmas. What day will we get together and at what time? God chose
the time for this first Christmas event. But when the time had fully come, God sent
his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we
might receive the full rights of sons. Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)
Our family has grown and scattered.
For the first time, we are facing the logistics of getting everyone home at the
same time to celebrate. God arranged for “the family” to be present at this
first Christmas event. In those days Caesar Augustus issued a
decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the
first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And
everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town
of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he
belonged to the house and line of David. Luke 2:1-4 (NIV)
We like to include other people in
our Christmas celebration. We will often plan a couple of Christmas events
where we will invite friends from church or international students to join us. God
chose who he would invite as guests to this first Christmas event. And
there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their
flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all
the people. Today in the town
of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a
sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Luke 2:8-12 (NIV)
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,
during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked,
"Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in
the east and have come to worship him." Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV)
Our plans often have to be adjusted.
We run into unforeseen conflicts and complications that force us to modify our
plans. God flawlessly executed his plan.
The shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and
seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:20 (NIV)
Christmas
is an annual celebration that is approached with much anticipation and
excitement. Every year, at this time, God calls the whole world, whether they
believe in Him or not, to reflect upon His eternal plan. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling
among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from
the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV)
How will you be a part of God’s
Christmas plans this year?
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