My Christmas Questions!

My mind is full and my heart is bursting this Christmas time.

This time of joy, seems even more wonderful and meaningful, the deeper I go in my walk with Jesus.

 And my mind is full of so many questions.

The big one I have been asking myself is;

 What was the atmosphere like in heaven that day? 

The day Jesus left! 

The day He laid aside His glory and came!

&

Why in this way? 

Why did our Saviour come as a helpless baby?

Why did He not just appear fully grown?

Or descend on the clouds, for all to see!

&

We sing the Christmas carol, "Oh come all you Faithful, " but where were all the faithful?

God had been silent for 400 years, why didn't more people rush to the stable?

Where were all those who should have been eagerly waiting?

Philippians 2 v 6-7 tell us that;

Who being in very nature God,

Did not consider equality with God,

 Something to be used for His own advantage,

Rather,

He made Himself nothing,

By taking the very nature of a servant,

Being made in human likeness.

I wonder what the atmosphere was like in heaven that day?

Jesus who had existed eternally, who called to life everything that exists, left His glory!

Was there great rejoicing, or did a hush come over heaven?

Were the angels silent, in reverent awe?

Peter talks about, things the angels love to gaze upon. ( 1 Peter1 v 12)

Did they gaze in wonder?

Is God really doing this?

Does He love them that much?

" What are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? " ( Psalm 144 v 3)

Or did all of heaven erupt in wave after wave of spontaneous praise?

Just imagine the party!

Just imagining the scene, takes my breath away and the tears start to flow!

We cannot even imagine, what it was like to give up heaven, the overwhelming love, the unapproachable light, the ten thousand times ten thousand angels who worshipped in pure adoration, the indescribable beauty, the atmosphere of holiness, that would actually, literally take our breath away!

Imagine giving that up! In what crazy universe are we even worth it?

The mind blowing truth, the wonder of all wonders is that God our Father loved us so much, He sent His only son Jesus to rescue us!

" In Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. " Colossians 2 v 9

Yet He emptied Himself!! 

He made Himself nothing! Philippians 2 v 7-8

He left His glory, the full glory of heaven, not lit by fairy lights, but the resplendent, brillianw, unapproachable light of the Son, to come to earth to rescue us!

A page had turned in history, God turned the page and the Messiah entered, onto the Worlds stage.

God appointed the time, the time to change history, and the Son of God was born as a helpless babe.

Everything that has ever happened on this planet, was before or after this mind blowing event, this changed everything!

Love came down and this is outrageous love!

"The fate of the whole world rested on the responses of two rural teenagers! "

( Philip Yancey  ~  The Jesus I never Knew.)

God shows the immensity of His love in that Christ was born in the most humble circumstances possible.

He was born a servant, a slave!

 Identifying with the lowest of the low, societies outcasts!

"The Westernized Christmas gives no hope to the hurting, the refugee, the homeless, it doesn't meet our need and our lonliness, but the true Christmas really does."

( The Christmas we didn't expect by David Mathis)

In a moment of breath taking wonder, love came down to rescue us.

I cannot express it better than the passionate words,  of Ray Vander Laan;

" Come with me to the cave,

There are six inches of soot on the ceiling!

They were using this cave when Joshua got here, and they are still using it today.

On the floor there are 6 inches of manure!

Cobwebs everywhere, pigeons nesting all along the back with droppings down the side, 

4 inches thick, stuck to the wall.

Notice the golden straw!

You dont bring straw to the sheep in the Middle East, you take the sheep to the straw!

It wasn't pretty, it stank and a young girl, laid on a sheepskin and brought the King of Kings into the world!"

God didn't have to do it this way!

Why did He come here?

He left heaven to be born in a stinking cave, in 6 feet of manure, to say,

That's how much I love you!

Jesus came into a world of strife, occupation, terror and oppression.

These were violent times, filled with fear and danger.

Before Jesus could even walk, He was literally running for His life!

" What lies at the heart of Christmas and whispers even to the souls seeking to "suppress the truth, " Romans 1 v 18, is the most stunning and significant fact in the history of the world. It is that God Himself became one of us. "

" He did this for you, Christmas is for you, because His life was for you, and His death was for you, and His triumphant resurrection on the other side was for you! "

( The Christmas we didn't expect by David Mathis)

Walter Wink, the American theologian said,

 " If Jesus had never lived, we would not have been able to invent Him ! "

I, so agree, you just couldn't make this up, it is too staggeringly wonderful.

"The Son, the radiance of the Fathers glory" ( Hebrews 1 v 3)

Came on a rescue mission!

Oh that my heart should always burn within me and explode on to the page!

Our hearts should be bursting with joy, because of the precious gift that we have been given.

Our mouths should overflow with praise, and overwhelming joy and adoration for our King!

We have been wired for the wondrous!

We have a longing deep within, that only the love of our creator can satisfy!

To be known, to be loved by Him and to be His beloved.

Where were all the faithful?

The visitors to the new born king were lowly shepherds and Magi from foreign lands.

Hosts of angels lit up the sky singing, 

" Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests. "

Luke 2 v 14

This good news was for shepherds tending their sheep.

These were illiterate shepherds who were so lowly, and considered so unclean that they were only permitted in the outer courts of the temple.

Too low, even to aspire to worship!

Where were the Kings and rulers?

The Scribes and the Pharisees?

The learned, the esteemed and the influential of the day?

Magi, pagan astrologers travelled for miles and many months, yet no one came from Jerusalem, less than 6 miles away!

When King  Herod inquired where the new born King was to be born, they knew immediately.

This was a culture where scripture was memorised, and many were so skilled in the art of memorisation they could recite, entire passages of the Torah.

Yet not one of them, as far as we know was curious enough, to tag along with the Magi, or go to Bethlehem to see for themselves.

" He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. " 

John 1 v 11

It's actually heart breaking, His own people, His own special possession, his chosen family, treated Him this way!

It's like they were numb, heartless and senseless!

Filled with knowledge, but not with love!

Yet humble sinners, fell on their faces in adoration!

And as the famous carol says,;

"Where meek souls, will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in!

A Christmas Blessing, from me to you!

Love came down at Christmas and He came to stay!

Open your heart, and let Him in today.

Let the light and love of Christmas, be yours forever more,

May you never cease to wonder, at the stable door!

I wish you a Happy Christmas and a blessed New Year,

Surrounded by your loved ones, and those you hold dear!

May your life be filled with goodness and blessings from above

To know in every moment the depths of His great love!

Some favourite songs and carols for you to enjoy

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ifeJRC5lvhs

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nwSV-b9vAUQ&list=RDnwSV-b9vAUQ&start_radio=1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3_bh_qIdY_A

Dawn Annette Montague

December 16 2020