"The most expensive gift ever given was not wrapped in gold wrapping paper with beautiful ribbons. It was not presented to kings and royal families. In a quiet stable, outside the city, I gave Jesus to you, those whom I love. Heralded by angels, but heard by only those who had ears to hear, He came unnoticed to most everyone living during that time. I wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and placed Him in the most humble environment. He was a King dressed in rags to confuse the proud. Few cared that He was even born. No one understood why He was born and what He would accomplish. Many still don’t. Because you do understand, celebrate His life each and every moment of yours."
John 1:10-14 NIV
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Today, the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world, is mixed with green grinches, goofy reindeer, frosted snowmen, and fictitious gift givers dressed in red suits. It is marketed for the sake of material gain, promoted beyond comparison, and degraded beyond imagination. The enemy of our soul has done everything possible to minimize the effect of the beginning of the most wonderful series of events in all of mankind’s history. Still, (although heralded in unrecognizable tones, presented on the wrong date, and masked in commercialism,) to those who have ears to hear - and hearts that desire to understand - it is wondrous to behold and beautiful beyond words.
The birth of Jesus is the celebration of God’s mercy to fallen man, the epitome of love, and the definition of grace. It is right to honor our Father’s love to us by honoring the birth of His Son. It is right to look past all that has been done to destroy the wonder of the event, and join with all of those who can see truth. It is right to sing hallelujahs at the tops of our voices, praise with rejoicing hearts, and enter into quiet devotions with tears of thanks because He was given to us. No matter what the world has attempted to do to destroy the impact of the birth of Jesus, those of us who know the truth rejoice every moment of every day because Father God had mercy on us, who deserved no mercy.
Thank You, Lord. I am eternally grateful,
Jim Corbett
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