I love the Christmas Story! I love the season and the time of year! I never grow tired of the Story and never grow weary of hearing it over & over again! So many parts to this story that intrigue me or get me to thinking!
# 1 - Mary
I am always amazed by Mary's obedience despite what it would cost her. She knew some of the cost but I wonder often if she had a complete understanding & comprehension of what awaited her.
She knew she was carrying the Son of God-Messiah. The Angel told her so! She tried to get Jesus to "do something" at the Canaan wedding so she had to know He was capable of something! Right? But did she really understand the 'bigness' of the task ahead of her - raising the Son of God?
#2 - Joseph.
Nice, quiet, semi obscure man. Yet, What a task! Out of obedience he took pregnant Mary as his wife. It wasn't his! Yet, he raised the baby as his own. He was father to the Son of God! No pressure right?!!
Not only did he put up with people looking down on him for having a pregnant wife BEFORE they married he couldn't say "it's mine"!? Or did he? We don't know but I wanna know! I can't wait to spend time with Joseph when I get to heaven-So much I wanna know!
#3 - The Shepherds
Shepherds? Lowly, smelly, dirty, possibly the outcasts of society; filled a need for society; yet was it every parents dream for their child to become a shepherd?? It was a normal night for them - tending to the flock as they did every night. All they had was the light from the night sky and possibly a fire going for warmth.
So why shepherds? Why go out in the middle of nowhere and tell these shepherds the good news? Surely there were 'believers' in town who would want to know! Why shepherds? AND what happened to them? I mean here they are on the greatest night of history - the event God's people had been waiting for:
They have an encounter with heavenly visitors.
They are a part of a handful of people that witnessed Jesus on His first night in human form.
They are apparently were excited by all they had witnessed.
They even left the manger praising and glorifying God.
Yet, it states next they went back to tend to the sheep.
They went back?! I realize the sheep were important but they went back?! AND seemingly never heard of again.
What is that?
Greatest encounter in their lives and that's it?
Nothing more than a blip on their life time line? I wanna talk to them! I wanna know what happened after - Did their lives change? Did it stay with them or did they simply look back at it as a nice memory?
#4 - The Magi
I have always been intrigued by these wise guys. They live in a different country. By assumption they were considered very wise at this point in history. We don't know anything about them other then what you see in the biblical account.
Why was it so important that they make the journey they did?
What did they know what God's people missed?
Why where they watching for this Kings star? Why??
They make a very long journey to find a baby King; they bring gifts fit for a King; warned in a dream they ditch king Herod and return to their own country. Then... that's it! Seemingly never heard from again. Did they realize WHO they worshiped? Why did they know Jewish history? How did they know to be watching for the "sign"? WHY did they travel such a long distance for THIS King?? Why??
And again I have to ask - this one blip on their life timeline - did it change them? Did their encounter mean anything? Anything at all?
#5 - King Herod
Don't even wanna mention this guy but he was apart of the story. He of all people - God's people - should have genuinely recognized the arrival of THE Messiah. But it was impossible for that to happen - when one is seeking their own agenda one can't see anything else. If only he had been in a right relationship - man what a difference that would've made!
My only question would be - did he regret? Did he ever feel remorseful for what he did? A sad statement on a sad life. AND most likely one person in this story I won't have the chance to ask...
#6 - The Inn Keeper
Not much information on this one. Only that apparently they offered a manger to Joseph & Mary. What was he thinking? Did he just show them the way to the stable? Did he notice the Star overhead? Did he notice the shepherds? Did he notice. Period.
Here he was involved with the greatest unfolding of historical events - yet - we don't know - we don't know if he came out to see the baby King or if he was oblivious to all that was taking place. Another conversation I want to have - to know what he was thinking - what did he know! Was there anything about this night that changed him?
So many parts and so many questions. I have often wondered why God's people seemingly missed the event they had waited for! The "appearance" is given that everyone was going about their day/lives and what they had hoped for came but they missed it. It is often stated that the Inn Keeper had no room. Yet it appears no one had room. No one was anticipating or waiting for this Messiah. No one was looking for the signs - well except for the Magi from another country.
No one was watching.
No one was waiting.
No one!
I shake my head sometimes when I think, "How could they miss it?!"; "How could they possibly NOT be watching for their Messiah!" But then the thought occurred to me - what would I have done?
1. Would I have been the obedient Mary or Joseph - doing Gods call regardless of the cost?
2. Would I have been a Shepherd or Magi? Seeking the baby King and worshiping Him?
3. Would I have been Herod? I shudder at that thought! Yet I know being human we are all capable of it! ALL of us!
4. Maybe the Inn Keeper? Only offering a lowly stable for the King - My King??
5. OR would I have been the people - indifferent; missing the arrival of my Messiah?
Wow!
So much to ponder
So much to consider.
For me it comes down to 2 questions:
Do I have room in my life no matter the cost?
Do my encounters with Him make a difference or are they just a slight blip on my time line?
Even though I have so many questions about the different aspects of the Christmas story, there will only be one question that matters and HE will be the one to ask it - not me:
What did I do with what God gave me?
Humm something to think about.
