Wonderful

It’s Here

It’s finally here! Even those timid souls who wag their finger saying that Christmas festivities should not start until after Thanksgiving or until December, have to admit that it’s here now. The most wonderful time of the year! 

I love this time of year for so many reasons. Let me tell you just a few. First, I love winter! I know all of you summer lovers can’t wait for the heat and humidity to return, but I just love the cool brisk air of winter. Second, this is the time of my favorite sporting event of the year. The National Finals Rodeo will start December 7th continuing through the 16th. But most of all, I love celebrating the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that there are many debates and controversies surrounding the dating of the birth of Christ, but I just love to sing about, and read about, and meditate on, and celebrate the precious and powerful coming of Jesus Christ!

Wonder Full

As we think about what it really means that God came into His creation, it is hard to fully grasp the weight and glory of such an act of condescension and kindness. Jesus was born in a human form, but His birth was not like any other. Remember, Jesus is not the product of the seed of any man, but rather He is conceived in the virgin's womb by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:30-35).  He has not inherited the guilt and shame of Adam’s fall even though He is coming to remedy that very curse (Genesis 3).

We often refer to Jesus as the second person of the trinity, but we must be careful not to think of Jesus or the Holy Spirit as any less God than the Father. The three divine persons share fully and completely the one divine being of God. So when Jesus came in human form, it was God in human form (Philippians 2:5-11). This is why it is right for Jesus to also be referred to with the name “Immanuel” for He is God with us (Matthew 1:18-25)!

The word “wonderful” is usually used to refer to something being really great or excellent. But think about the words that are combined. Wonder Full. I think that perfectly describes the effect that the incarnation of Christ should have on us. And it just happens to be that our holiday festivities are pointing us in the direction of that ecstatic response.  

Just imagine riding through a Christmas light display with a toddler who is mesmerized by the brilliance and beauty of all the colors and creations. That is the kind of fullness of wonder that ought to be ours perpetually as we think about the glorious gospel reality of Christmas. Jesus came to save us from our sin and shame by sharing our human condition so that we could, by the free gift of His grace, share in His eternal inheritance. That is the most wonderful news that we could ever hear.

The Prophet Isaiah also tells us that one of His names is Wonderful Counselor. Jesus came near to us in His flesh so that we could be near to Him in the Spirit (Isaiah 9:6-7). And He retains His glorified body so that we in our glorified flesh can live in eternal fellowship with Him. So let’s enjoy and celebrate this wonderful time as we look forward to our wonderful timeless eternity with Christ!

---