Advent Through Your Eyes
A few years ago, our church released an advent album titled “Can You Hear The Sound?” I still remember hearing the meditations and lyrics with a sense of illumination. You see, I was a worship pastor’s kid and the Christmas story wasn’t new to me. If anything, it was ingrained in my bones. I remember going to rehearsals for Christmas cantatas and attending pageants and reenactments. The story was always the same: Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph in the town of Bethlehem. He was then visited by the shepherds and the wisemen. The angels sang His praise, “Glory to God in the highest!” All this is true and life-changing, but it’s not the entire story.
Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us—and He wants to meet with you this Advent season.
If you read the story in Luke 1 and 2, you will see much larger cast of characters. You will see Herod, Elijah, Elizabeth, Zechariah, Gabriel, John the Baptist, the people of Israel, Simeon, and Anna. The cast is large and many of these people were only a small part in the story. They each encountered Jesus, but their encounters were personal, and their reactions differed. Herod was threatened. Zechariah was skeptical. Simeon was overcome with peace. All this was brought to my attention as I listened to the meditations and lyrics on “Can You Hear The Sound.” How could I have missed so much of the Christmas story?
He’s inviting you to open your eyes and allow His Word to illuminate truth in your imagination.
This advent season, I encourage you to read the Christmas story through their eyes. I believe that this will help you experience Christmas in a new way. Ask God to meet you in this practice and to help you see the Christmas story through your own eyes. You see, the Christmas story has its inception written in the Gospels, but it echoes throughout eternity because it changed everything! Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us—and He wants to meet with you this Advent season. He is inviting you to open your eyes and allow His Word to illuminate truth in your imagination. Accept the invitation. Experience His presence. Merry Christmas!
