Christmas Under Construction (Friday Devotional)

 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart

- Hebrews 4:12

For the past week, my house has been a construction zone while our master bathroom is being remodeled. Boxes of tile sit in our front entryway. All the contents of our closet are strewn about the kids’ playroom. And, despite the best efforts of the crew to be as clean as possible, everything is covered in dust.

The thing is, this is a relatively modest remodel. New tile on the floors and in the shower, a new shower head, a built-in shelf, and that’s really about it. No walls are being knocked down, no pipes are being rerouted, and nothing heavy duty like a new bathtub is being installed. The ‘bones’ of the house aren’t changing—yet when it’s done, it’s going to look brand new.

In that way, it reminds me of how we annually commemorate this season—we try to make it new. Preachers are tasked every year with finding a fresh way to convey the Advent themes of hope, peace, love, and joy. Families search for some new family activity to try. Shoppers scour the shelves for decorations to make the lawn or the mantle or the Christmas tree just a little different this year. Our celebration of Christ’s birth is always under construction, always open to something new.

But even as we seek something novel, the bones of Christmas remain the same: the virgin birth, the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night, the angelic chorus, the Christ child sleeping in a manger. Good news of great joy for all people. Hope, peace, joy, and love. The story never changes.

So this year, I offer you dual words of encouragement. On the one hand, look for something new in the Christmas story, something you’ve never noticed or thought about before. Allow room for a fresh perspective or a unique insight into a story you know backwards and forwards. Open your heart to whatever God may want you to hear this Christmas and let him construct something beautiful.

But on the other hand, cherish the familiarity of the story, the comfort that comes from annual observance. Rejoice in the steadfastness of the story—that, just like last year and the year before that and the year before that, Luke 2 remains the same. Christmas may look different than it did 50 years ago, but Christ does not.

God’s Word never changes, but it always has something new to teach you. So this Christmas, give thanks for the old, old story and listen for the brand new message God will deliver through it.