The wonder of it all...

Last night at choir practice for the Larnell Harris concert which will take place this week at CCRC, our director of worship and arts led us in devotions, and he talked about spiritual warfare during the Christmas season. He wondered, why is it so hard for us as Christians to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas? He commented that isn't that smart of satan to attack us in this way and to strip us of our joy over the birth of our Savior?!

The passage read was one we all hear a dozen times through the Christmas season, how the wisemen were filled with wonder over the Christ child's birth. YES, the excitement started to grow in my heart!

Even on the recording of Larnell Harris, as he sings "the wonder of it all, oh the wonder of it all, just to think that God loves me...." You can hear the heart behind the words of the song, and it started to seep into my soul a little more deeply. And as we sang our Christmas songs, there it was feeling in my heart behind the words that were coming out of my mouth.

Then on the way home from practice, Shine 89.7 is playing all Christmas music, and I was a little cranky about that in the beginning, but as I left the church parking lot, "Oh Holy Night" came on the radio and I couldn't help but blare it, and the reality of the birth of my savior took over every bit of me, and I just blared that radio and sang at the top of my lungs in praise to my God who loved me enough to send His Son to walk among men and then die!

And I know it's an old concept, but it really sunk in with me, that the moment Jesus was born, I was given the opportunity to become something I NEVER could on my own strength....Wow, that is truly amazing and I am filled with the wonder of it all!

I pray for each of you to be filled with wonder at our amazing, unselfish God as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord. Maybe if we each take just a second to really remember what Jesus' Birthday means to each of us, all the hustle and bustle of the season won't succeed in stripping away our joy!

Lord in heaven there are not words to use that can describe my joy today. You are a most incredible, amazing Father, and I thank you for the gift of your beloved Son. Praise you Oh Lord!