I was reading through the Christmas story in the gospel of Luke the other day. One of the things about Christmas is that ever year it’s the same story! Mary is always pregnant as a virgin, there is never any room in the inn, and everyone is always scared of the angels. I hate to spoil this for you, but it will be the same next year too!
It’s like every morning waking up in my house. Every day Ethan gets up at about 6:00, and every day (at least for the last month) he wants to watch Meet the Robinsons. Every stinking morning! I know that movie inside and out. I’m no longer surprised by anything in it, it’s not too exciting, and my overall opinion of the movie continues to lower. I wonder how many of us look at the Christmas story in the same way. It can be difficult to hear the story fresh, and I think we can agree, it’s a story that worth hearing in a fresh way. That’s been my goal for this year… To hear the story fresh again; as though I’d meet heard it before.
That’s what I want for this Christmas. I’m praying that the good news of a messiah born would hit me in the way that it hit the first hearers. That it would shock me. That it would encourage me. That it would cause me to talk about it. That it would cause my affection for Jesus to overflow! Lord, give me new ears to hear Your story this year!
