Making the Days Count as We Countdown to Christmas

Christmas is one week away. Are you still shopping, baking, wrapping, and looking forward to a party or concert? Are you fretting as you look at your calendar and question how you will complete your “To Do” list?

I hope one item on your list will include reading the Christmas story and not wait for a Christmas Eve church service to hear it.

I’ve been reading it during the past week. It’s amazing how many new discoveries are in an old story. 

                                                            Yes, we know…

  

     An angel appeared to a teen-aged girl…

     Even though a virgin, she would conceive a child…

     Mary traveled to see her cousin, is encouraged, and bursts  
forth in praise…

    Joseph dreamt and obeyed God and took Mary as his wife…

    Baby Jesus was born in a filthy stable…

    Mary, only a mother for hours, had company from strangers-    

    A prophet and a widow proclaimed Jesus was the long awaited Redeemer...

    Later, three dignitaries presented Jesus with expensive gifts…

Can you go deeper this week?

Maybe you will see...
        that among all of God's names, we read, “he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God.” (Luke 1:31 NIV) I would have expected Elohim, Creator, or Jehovah Shalom-peace. But in that specific detail, Mary was assured of God’s sovereignty.

     Or, when you read Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-56, we see a teenager trusting God with her future.

     Or…there are five dreams recorded in Matthew 2.

I’m not sure where you are a week before Christmas, but I hope as you count down, you’ll take time each day to rest, quietly read portions of Matthew 1:18-2:12 and Luke 1:3-38 and find new heart discoveries in a life-giving old story. We’d love to have you share and comment what you found.

Merry Christmas!