The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 20: Come and Worship
Tonight, we celebrated the birth of Christ with our church community in song and reflection on God’s word. And I heard the most beautiful song, Come and Worship, for the first time.
Come with me and worship our Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Treasure, our Brother, our Master, our Friend, our Hope, our Salvation, our God, our newborn King!
Note: If you are reading on RSS or email, you can click through the title to see the video.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Days 18-19: The Anticlimacy of Christmas
Something’s wrong with me. I’m already feeling like Christmas is anticlimactic, and it’s not even Christmas yet. (And I’m making up words like anticlimacy). Most people reserve melancholy for after the fact, but not me. I like to get a jump on these sorts of things.
I suppose I’m just getting to the point in my life where the years have piled up enough to notice some things that are always true. And for me, I always find the day after Christmas to be a bit of a letdown. I don’t even put all that much stock in the trappings of Christmas, but there are at least 5 things I love about Christmas, and the truth is, they never pay off. Even the good things don’t pay off.
It’s not the things themselves. We can say they are morally neutral. Or we can say they are gifts from God to be enjoyed, if enjoyed in the right way. And both are probably true. No, the issue is my own heart.
As I consider why this might be so, two things come to mind. First, I have unfair expectations. And second, my expectations are misplaced.
I say unfair because the good things of the Christmas season can never truly satisfy whatever it is that I, and probably you as well, are looking for. We desire a sense of peace, and comfort, and togetherness, and love, and acceptance, and joy—and a season like Christmas seems like it might just do the trick. But as happy as this season may be for some (and for others, it’s not happy at all), it never delivers what we think it promises.
I say misplaced for a similar reason. If Christmas can’t deliver what I’m looking for, then something must be able to do so. Lewis picked up on this: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probably explanation is that I was made for another world.” And while he’s right, I would add to this that we were not only made for another world, but for the Person who is the chief reason for this other world.
At the end of the day, the way to avoid the inevitable letdown is to see all the good things of Christmas as the vapors that they are—and to see the One great think of Christmas as the rock that He is. Life is a vapor, and all things exist for Jesus, so enjoy the good things of Christmas, knowing they are passing away, and cling to the Rock who will never be moved.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 17: God With, Over, In, For
Isaiah told us that the coming Messiah would be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” And this is beautiful: God, the maker of heaven and earth, the king of Israel, was coming to be with mankind. We can never be too amazed at this stunning truth—that God walked our earth, ate our food, slept under our stars. He was with us.
But God with us got me thinking about other aspects of our relationship with God. Here are three others to celebrate this Christmas:
- God is over us. God is sovereign, by right and by power, because He is the creator of all things. He can become man that first Christmas because He is first and foremost over man. And this is great news for all of us who call ourselves His own, because He gives us all that He has through His Son.
- God is in us. Christmas was a remarkable movement of God towards man, and Jesus showed us amazing things about the nature of God. But He said His going was worth the coming of His Spirit, because God’s movement towards man was going to get even closer. God was not simply going to be with us; He was going to be in us.
- God is for us. Perhaps the greatest Christmas present we will receive this year is a deepening understanding that God is for us. He is working all things in our lives together for our good. And if He is for us, who can stand against us?
Allow the beauty of His being over us, and in us, and for us to give you a deeper kind of cheer this holiday season, and thank Him this Christmas that He is our Immanuel!
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 16: 2 Questions This Christmas
Let’s commend Zechariah and Mary. Both were chosen by God for special tasks, both submitted themselves to God’s hand in their lives, both experienced the joy of raising Spirit-filled children, and both are held up as models of righteousness.
But let’s also learn something from their two questions. The gospel of Luke gives us the accounts of their being visited by the angel, Gabriel, who gave them both remarkable news. Here were their responses:
Zechariah: “How shall I know this?”
Mary: “How will this be?”
How shall I know this? is a question that asks for more. More information, more confirmation, more security. When God guides, how shall I know this? is a question just short of faith. When God leads, how shall I know this? asks for something more than God’s word. This is a question of control, a question of doubt, and a question I ask far too often.
How will this be? is a question that seeks explanation. Whether the explanation comes or not, how will this be? is a question out of faith, a question that belies belief but wants to know more. When God directs, how will this be? follows along, creating conversation, seeking understanding. This is a question of curiosity, based on faith, and it’s a question I ask far too little.
Despite the busy nature of the season, Christmas is a time of rest, and times of rest are often times for reflection. So whatever God is doing in your heart and in your life in this moment, pursue the path of faith, trusting Him at His word by finding Him in His word, and let your heart be won over by the faithfulness of our God who is always working for our good. And if you must ask questions of God, ask them out of faith, not out of doubt, because He rewards those who seek His wisdom.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing onChristmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 15: Hark!
I love hymns. And I love Christmas hymns. And it just seems odd that so many people hear these hymns without ever really truly listening to them. There is amazing truth, and rich theology, in many of our tradition’s greatest hymns.
One classic that we sang this past Sunday is Hark, The Herald Angels Sing. Charles Wesley, the prolific writers of hymns, originally wrote these words in 1739, but it wasn’t until 1855 that the lyrics were set to the music we know today. What I want to celebrate today is the beauty of the first stanza:
Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
So what can we learn from Wesley this Christmas?
- The baby Jesus is to be heralded, an honor reserved for royals, though in this case, the humblest of Kings.
- The baby Jesus is due glory, glory “as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
- The baby Jesus is a vessel of peace—peace that makes rebellious men right with their God.
- The baby Jesus has a mission: reconciling God with sinners.
- The baby Jesus is to be the joy of all nations; not just one, not just some, but all nations will speak joyfully of their eternal King.
- The baby Jesus brings together all realms, so that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
If God gives you the opportunity, tell someone Hark! this week. And tell them about this amazing baby Jesus, who came in humility, to deliver men from the bondage of their sin, so that people from every nation would joyfully live to bring Him glory.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 14: God’s Work At Christmas
Our small group met this past week and talked about the Christmas story from the perspective of each of the characters in the story. What was it like for the shepherds to receive the angel, and witness the multitude, and go see the Savior child? How must it have felt for Mary, or Elizabeth, to become pregnant the way they became pregnant, and to deal with all of the consequences of that in their own lives?
It was a really interesting discussion, and we tried our best to ground our thoughts in what the Bible does say about each person. But out of all the characters we did discuss, the one we left out was God Himself.
It’s difficult to think about what it might have been like for God at the coming of His Son, because His being outside of time (as our eternal God) and a God inside of time (as Jesus taking on flesh) make these kinds of statements difficult (and complicated). But perhaps we can make some observations about God’s supreme role in Christmas and reflect on the delight He must have had in telling this best of stories.
So here are four, among hundreds, of the things God was working out at the first Christmas.
- God planned Christmas long ago. Revelation 13:8 tells us of a book of life, a book which contains names that were written before the world even began, names that reflected God’s people. God knew He would send His Son into this world to redeem those whose names were in this book of life, and He planned beforehand how to do it, so there must have been some sense of anticipation, insofar as we can say a timeless God “anticipates” things.
- God foretold Christmas. Not only did God plan the incarnation, but He told His people about it. Genesis 3:15 tells us of the coming seed who would bruise the head of the devil. Isaiah 7:14 promises the virgin’s son, a son who would be “God with us.” There must be a certain kind of delight in planning this amazing story—another in telling it so others can anticipate it as well.
- God worked out the story of Christmas in triunity. The Father was about the business of sending—sending the Son into the world, sending His Spirit to come upon Mary, overshadowing her with power, and sending angels to help people prepare for, recognize, and embrace the coming of the Divine Son in a way no one would have expected. The love shared between the Father, Son, and Spirit was not greater or less at any time in history, but each must have felt a certain sense of excitement at the revealing of this great mystery in the cleverest of ways.
- God brought Himself glory through the Christmas story. Our God, who delights in using the weak to shame the strong in this world, and the foolish to shame the wise, sent His angels to first proclaim this Good News to shepherds. And after the news is shared, a multitude of angels appear who sang “Glory to God in the highest!” And the shepherds went on to praising and glorifying God themselves. God’s delight in His glory, and His sharing with us in this delight, is the gift we celebrate this Christmas—the gift of a Son who would show us exactly what God is like, a Son whom we can worship, and relate to, and accept, and love.
May we anticipate the joy of this Christmas in some small measure of the way God “anticipated” the joy of the first Christmas, and may we continue to find our greatest joy in Him!
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Days 11-13: “Too Busy” This Christmas
Above, you’ll notice that I said I would be writing once a day about all things Christmas. Well, I didn’t write anything the past two days. I could tell you I was busy, but that’s kind of the point.
Each December, we fight against the busyness of the Christmas season, knowing the purpose of it all is to celebrate the birth of Christ but still finding ourselves caught up in decorating, finishing work for the year, baking, buying presents, hosting parties, going to parties, hosting family, and all sorts of other things. We’re victims of our own desires, but there’s a deeper desire with all feel for the One who ultimately satisfies.
Being “too busy” to write when I said I would write is one thing; being “too busy” to be with Jesus is another. No minute is better spent on anything other than reflecting on, talking to, praising, or being with, in faith, the Spirit of Christ who dwells in us. In a profound way, we can shop with Jesus, bake with Jesus, write with Jesus, pray to the Father with Jesus, read the word with Jesus, or do any of a hundred other things with Him. His Spirit is already with us; our joy is in realizing this, believing it by faith, walking in His power, and orienting our hearts and minds towards Him as we go about our days.
If Christmas is approaching too quickly for you, realize that His burden is light, in His arms is rest, and in His presence is fullness of joy. Go to Him in the busyness, and you will find a place of quiet in the most hectic of seasons.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 10: A Christmas Acronym
If acronyms can work for the Psalmist, why can’t we try one? Here’s a shot at a Christmas acronym.
Christ
Has
Risen
In
Splendor
To
Make
All*
Sons**
Wait, that’s really more of an Easter acronym. How about:
Eternal
Alpha
Sent
To
Emancipate
Rebels
That’s a little more like Christmas. We don’t often think of Easter at Christmas, but the incarnation, and the crucifixion, and the resurrection, and the ascension are four strands of the cord given to us by God for our redemption from sin, emancipation from slavery, resurrection in glory, and eternal life with the One for whom all things exist.
Be thankful this Christmas that Jesus came into this world in the most remarkable fashion, and when you think of the Christmas child, think of the Man who would one day stretch out his hands so we might be His, and He ours.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
*All, meaning all who believe.
**And daughters.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 9: Thank God for Theophilus
Thank God for Theophilus. Without Theophilus, and without his friendship with Luke, we might not have known this Christmas, among many other things:
- God’s answer to the long-suffering prayer of Zechariah and Elizabeth
- The fascinating similarities, and the differing results, between Zechariah’s and Mary’s questions to Gabriel
- John the Baptist being moved by the Spirit in the womb
- Mary’s gentle, faith-filled, God-glorifying prayer
- The classic lines from every Christmas play, childrens’ voices echoing the beauty of Scripture (“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus…”)
- The creative hand of God in bringing Jesus’ parents to the city of David
- The inspiring account of the angel’s proclamation of the birth of Jesus to shepherds
- The sweet prophecies of Simeon and Anna, whose hearts longed to see the day of the coming of their salvation
- The jaw-dropping, heart-aching picture of the Son of God lying in a manger
Of course, the gospel of Luke is the revelation of God, by God, through Luke, so that we might “have certainty concerning the things [we] have been taught.” And God could have told us these things another way. But He saw fit to give us this great gospel, these marvelous stories, and for that, I am grateful.
As we thank God this Christmas for Jesus, and family, and friends, and blessings, and comfort, and peace, let’s also thank Him for giving us His word, the word that shows us what our great God is like, and points us to the Reason we celebrate this season.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 8: The Christmas Lion
Our lives are filled with ten thousand moments that define the people we are and the kinds of lives we are leading. But there are also a precious few moments that can transcend all the others. These highlights, for better or for worse, tell the story of our lives, in ebbs and flows of blessing and loss, of acts of righteousness and works of sin. And these highlights are often how we are known, and how we are remembered.
The Bible is full of men and women whom we remember, some for their great acts of faith in believing God, and others for their great acts of wickedness in going their own way. As we read these stories, it’s easy to elevate these men and women to something greater than human—because they knew God and experienced God in ways we haven’t, or so we think. And sometimes it’s easy to denigrate them as well, because the Bible pulls no punches in recording their biggest failures and sins.
But many of these saints give me hope. Judah is one of them. This is the hope of Judah:
- Born the fourth son of Leah (the less favored wife) (Genesis 29:35)
- Followed his father back to their home, the promised land given to their grandfather, Abraham, by God (31:17-18)
- Conspired to kill his brother, Joseph (37:18)
- Saved Joseph’s life (by suggesting to his brothers that they sell Joseph rather than kill him) (37:26-27)
- Lied to his father about Joseph’s death (37:32)
- Raised two sons who were killed by God for their wickedness (38:7, 10)
- Failed to keep his promise to his daughter-in-law, Tamar (38:14)
- Slept with and impregnated Tamar, who was disguised as a cult prostitute (38:18, 21)
- Threatened to kill his daughter-in-law, Tamar, over her immorality (38:24)
- Confessed his sin in public, proclaiming Tamar as more righteous than he (38:26)
- Led his brothers into repentance before Joseph, who was governing Egypt (44:14-17)
- Offered himself as a captive to Joseph in the place of his brother (44:33)
- Led his family into the land of Goshen, the place of provision for them by God (46:28)
- Chosen by God to be the royal line of Jesus, the coming Messiah, who would receive obedience from all the peoples of the world (49:10)
Following along Judah’s story is like storming along a mountain trail. There are breathtaking peaks and somber valleys. But as flawed as Judah was, he had his moments of great obedience to God. And more importantly, God used Judah for His purposes. And that’s our great hope.
We know we do not merit salvation. We may be tempted to grovel before God, castigating ourselves as sinners who deserve no mercy. But sons and daughters, who have been brought into the family of God because of the love of their Father, do not grovel. They stand, with awe and humility, because of the great work God has done for them and in them.
This is the hope of Christmas. That Jesus, the Lion of Judah, the Christmas Lion, is the revelation and glory of God given to us so that we might be called sons and daughters of the Most High God. If you are struggling with sin, or are in deep fellowship with Jesus right now, stand with me this Christmas in awe and humility before our God, who planned these things long ago, and is working good for us and in us, so that all the peoples of the world would find the blessings of obedience to this great King.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 6: Beautiful Christmas Gifts
We know this: Christmas is about giving. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus was the greatest of gifts. But God still gives gifts today.
He gave Christopher Duffey, born premature, blind, and autistic, and adopted at 15 months, the gift of singing.
And He gave us the gift of Christopher Duffey. Enjoy.
HT: Justin Taylor; John Knight
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 5: The Christmas Word Game
What words or images do you associate with the Christmas story? Let’s make a list (here’s mine, in order, off the top of my head):
Bright star.
Dark blue sky.
Cool evening.
Angels in song.
Hay.
Shepherds.
Sheep.
Shepherd stick (staff, right, the crooked one?).
Dark streets in town.
Mary on a donkey (was she on a donkey?).
Wreath (??).
Cows.
Mary in blue with a white sash.
Joseph in the dark (kinda obscured).
Manger.
Baby Jesus (but just because I’ve felt guilty for not including Him so far).
So this is craziness. I suspect much of my Christmas imagery comes from some movie I’ve seen or a sprawling imagination. Some of these things aren’t in the Biblical accounts, and I’m not sure how the wreath made it into my mind. But I do find it telling that the words I associate with Christmas do not quickly bring up the one Word the whole story is about.
John tells us beautifully: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Question: What words do you think of when you imagine the Christmas story?
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 4: The Sacred Conspiracy of Christmas
Let’s be conspiracy theorists for a moment. Say you are a guy (let’s call you Joseph), and you’re engaged to this sweet hometown girl (let’s call her Mary), and you have watched this girl for years and years and have finally mustered up the courage to ask her to be your wife. And then she goes to visit relatives for a few months, and she comes back pregos, and you’re wondering what you should do.
The law gives you the right to have her killed, but you are a just man, and you love this girl, and she swears she has broken no law, so you resolve to break the engagement quietly. But then an angel comes to you and tells you that the conceived child belongs to no man, but to God, through the work of His Holy Spirit.
Now let’s say you start to get this devious plan in your mind. You remember your teacher telling you that there was this Coming One, the Messiah who would restore Israel to its former glory, and that this Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, because the prophet Micah foretold it. And you also remember a story about the coming one being born of a virgin, because the prophet Isaiah foretold it. And you have watched foreign occupiers suck the life out of your village and your people, and you want to see your nation restored. More than that, you want power yourself.
So you come up with this plan to take advantage of Mary’s situation, and your family happens to be from Bethlehem, so when Caesar issues a decree that everyone should return to their hometown for the census, you see this is your chance. You can work the situation into fulfilling a couple of prophecies by going to Bethlehem and having Mary deliver this child there. And then you could start telling people that your son is the long awaited Messiah! And then you’d coach your son into fulfilling other prophecies, and as he rose to power, you’d rise along with him.
You could do all of that right? I mean, it would be really strange, and you’d be a megalomaniac, and it’d be a super long shot, but it’s possible, right?
Clearly, Joseph and Mary do no such thing. They probably had no idea that any of these prophecies were actually being fulfilled—they were likely just dealing with the really difficult situation they found themselves in. But what strikes me most in this story is the impossibility of any power-hungry man fulfilling Micah’s prophecy himself. You can maybe ride into Jerusalem on a donkey because Zechariah said the king would come into the city in this way, but you can’t control your birth. You can’t, as a child in the womb, control where your mom and dad go to deliver you (or control that pesky star).
Unless, of course, you’re God. And this is the wonder of Christmas. When Micah, facing the prospect of siege, spoke hope into the crumbling heart of Israel, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from old, from ancient of days,” it meant that the deliverance of Israel was going to be of God.
This is why Christmas was God’s doing. It was the sacred conspiracy, a plan formulated in secret before the ages began, and not one of evil (as conspiracies are), but one of holy origins. Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, and He would be a ruler in Israel who would “shepherd his flock” of God’s people, and He would be “their peace”, all because God planned it long ago and promised it through His prophet, Micah.
Let us wonder at the delight God has in taking small things (Bethlehem, a manger, a baby; us) and making great things from them (a Messiah who would shepherd His people and be their peace; a redeemed people who are conformed into the image of God’s Son). Let us realize that Christmas was promised long ago, in the midst of great trial, by a God who has our good in mind, and loves to use the weak in this world to shame the strong. And let us feel the love God has for us in this promised Messiah, a love that was made clear some 33 years after that miraculous birth, and a love that gives the substance to our Christmastime today.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. Here at Crave Something More, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.
Day 3: The Sign of Christmas
If you had to pick just one symbol or sign for Christmas, what would it be? If Google Images is of any help, then Christmas is symbolized by the Christmas tree, or bells, or snow fall against a lit home, or Santa, or ornaments, or gifts, or candy canes, or Homer Simpson on a rooftop in a Santa costume.
But God’s sign was much simpler than all of this. God’s sign was a baby.
“Ask a sign of the LORD your God,” the Lord said to King Ahaz of Judah, “let it be deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.” Ahaz was facing a great threat when he heard this from the Lord. Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, the king of Israel were at the foothills of Jerusalem, readying an attack. And the hearts of Ahaz and his people “shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.” There was no steadiness of heart; there was no resolve. There was only the unsettling fear that blew gusts of dread among the people.
So the Lord sent Isaiah to calm Ahaz and his people: “Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint…It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass…If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.”
Ahaz’s faith must not have been firm, because this is where the Lord came to Ahaz to tell him to ask for a sign—an impossible sign! How deep is Sheol? There is no depth to speak of. How high is heaven? There is no height to measure. God was basically saying this: My word will stand, Ahaz. What I have promised, I will bring about. I will deliver My people. In fact, you can ask anything you can think of as a sign to prove it—anything at all. Because I have power and control over all things.
And when Ahaz refused God’s offer, saying “I will not put the Lord to the test,” God promised a sign anyway. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (which means, “God is with us”).” This is a strange sign to be sure. I’m not sure how Ahaz would have felt at hearing this sign. Great, who is the virgin? Is she conceiving soon, because those two armies are still encamped against us?
But God’s story was greater than Ahaz’s story, just as God’s story is greater than our own. And God’s sign was the impossible sign. Virgin’s don’t conceive and bear sons. No one would think to ask for a sign like this. But all things are possible with God. And wrapped up in this sign, for Ahaz and for us, is the promise of God for deliverance, the promise for salvation from our enemies, the promise that God has our good in mind.
Jesus is this sign. He is this promise. He is our deliverance from sin, and our salvation from Satan’s grasps, and our promise of God’s goodness to us. So when we see the symbols of Christmas in our homes and on our streets and in the public squares this month, let us see through them to the impossible sign that God promised, the glory of a helpless baby who would be our great Deliverer.
For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.
