For to us a child is born...

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas dear friends!
I am just sitting down to the computer after a long day of cacophonous chit-chat among my family and sitting around the Christmas tree that my grandpa and I picked out together and watching the family open the presents that we so carefully selected for each other. My stomach is still warmly full of ham and potatoes and chocolate goodies. I am glowing with victories in games of Cribbage and Boggle. It was a wonderful day.

But this morning, before all the craziness began and people arrived, I put in the movie "The Nativity Story." I haven't watched it for awhile so it was perfect to see it again on a cozy Christmas morning. I was struck anew at the humility of Christ as he entered this world. I sat amazed at what it would sound like to hear our savior take his first breath as an incarnated human baby. I also marveled at the sacrifice involved in his life...not just the sacrifice he made, but the sacrifices Mary made...of her reputation, of her own plans for her life, of giving up her family and home in order to flee to Egypt. Joseph made some huge sacrifices too...providing for a baby that was not of his own flesh and blood, trusting God and leading his family, trying to be a father to the King of Kings!

And though the Christmas story can get dulled and often times becomes a fluffy, warm-fuzzy story that is often put in the realms of being mainly geared for children, it is anything but. There was death, sorrow, pain, complex politics, intricate prophesies, racial tensions and every day trials. The story of "the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us" is raw and real.

I was also struck at how God blessed individuals in bringing deliverance to humanity. He chose a single woman to bear the Christ-child. He chose a few mangy, lonely, dirty shepherds to perform a heavenly concert to, he chose some wisened but no-named Persian men to deliver gifts confirming the kingship of Jesus, he chose straw and animals to be the witnesses of the most miraculous birth ever. How odd. I still amaze at the humility of God. The most glorious moments of history are often embedded in the most common and lowly of scenes.

I know we've all heard a hundred sermons and prayed your own prayers even and had glib discussions, or even maybe not-so-glib discussions about not forgetting the meaning of Christmas. But I hope that as you celebrate (or rather celebrated as this Christmas Day is coming to a close) that you have a greater revelation of Jesus Christ today and the abundant life you have the opportunity to experience because a poor woman gave birth to a baby that was the Savior of the world some 2,000 years ago in an obscure shelter for animals and yet choruses of Angels rejoiced and men came to bow their knees before him. May Christ be REAL in your life today and may his humility and his glory be evident in your life.

Merry Christmas.