This year, for Christmas at Crosswalk, we’ll be exploring the Christmas story found in Luke 1-2 through the lens of wonder. Wonder is defined in our dictionary as “a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.” In the Bible, however, wonder is often associated with the idea of seeing God more clearly among our humanness.

We often equate wonder with a child-like sense of awe at something you can’t quite put into words, something so wonderful, so beautiful, so amazing, that it almost takes your breath away. And if it involves seeing the divine among our humanity more, then wonder is what happens when I witness an incredible sunset, hear a baby giggle, sing a song in worship that brings tears to my eyes, and so much more.

In order to let ourselves wonder at this story, however, we’re going to have to let something go first. You see, one of the biggest enemies of wonder is familiarity. The more familiar we become with something, the less inspiring it seems, or the less mystery it entails, and thus, the less wonder we have for it.

So let go of the familiar and prepare your hearts to live through these next four weeks with a sense of awe and wonder, with child-like eyes wild with anticipation, and the story of a God who became human, in order to bring us back to Him.

Grace, Peace, and Merry Christmas,