The Wonder of Christmas

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

There was a heartwarming story in the November, 2013 issue of the Baptist Press. It was about a missionary in Southeast Asia who saw nativity sets being sold in an open marketplace. It was an unusual item in that the area was staunchly Buddhist with no knowledge of Christianity. The missionary talked with the vendor and was able to locate the family who made the nativity sets. She discovered that they started making the figurines after a tourist suggested it. They, themselves, had no idea of what the nativity was about or what it meant. It was merely a business opportunity for them. Since the family knew nothing of the Christmas event, the characters were made based solely on the description given to them by the tourist. 

The missionary became friends with that family and, over time, had the privilege of taking each character of the creche and, one by one, telling the family the story of Christmas. She continued doing so until now, the entire village is responding. 

When did you first hear the Christmas story? Was it so long ago that it has lost its wonder? God revealed in human flesh — “…and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us,” the angel told Joseph [Matthew 1:23]. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” Jesus told Nicodemus [John 3:16].

Keep the wonder of Christmas fresh in your heart. We have a Savior, Christ the Lord [Luke 2:11], who is worthy of our worship, and whose message is worth repeating!

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.  Luke 2:15-16