I Wonder. Do You Wonder?

Every year I read a bit of history out loud to my family.
Christmas morning rolls around and people roll out of bed.
The scent of cinnamon buns, freshly baked, fills the kitchen and pours into the living room.
The Christmas tree twinkles, stockings lay on the floor beneath, and gifts await.

But first, the reading.

In a little town called Bethlehem, a big event happened.
A baby was born.
And I often wonder about the scene of that night and the days that followed.

We have our cast of characters ~ Mary, Joseph, and the baby, Jesus, of course; the shepherds, the sheep; the angels. Eventually, the wise men come into the story.

And I wonder.
I wonder about all the people who weren't really mentioned.
What about the wives, the other family members, and the friends of the shepherds?
What about the local townsfolk?
What about the other travelers who were in Bethlehem that night because the government census brought them there too?
What about the people who owned the stable area where the wee family took shelter?
What about all those people?
Did some of them hear the choir of angels that night and wonder themselves about the words they were hearing? Did they wonder why the angels were praising God with "glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace to those on whom His favour rests"? (Luke 2:14, NIV)
Did they wonder what the noise was and peer out their bedroom windows to see what was going on? I don't imagine that the sounds of a "great company of heavenly the host" (NIV) or "the vast host of others - the armies of heaven" (NLT) was a quiet sound!
Surely someone would have heard and wondered.
After the shepherds found the baby Jesus and saw that what the angels had told them was truth, they "spread the word" and everyone who heard was amazed.
So other people knew about what happened that night.
Many more than just the shepherds.

I wonder how it affected them all.
Did some of them seek the new family out and offer good words of congratulations? Did they give gifts to the new parents?
Did some of them wonder at who this baby Jesus was? Did they ask questions? Did they seek God and marvel at the plan that was set into place?
They were amazed, but did they remember that night 30 years later when this babe who had become man, was nailed to a cross and crucified?
Did they remember why the angels sang praises to God on that holy night? Did they realize the impact of this birth, this new life, that came that night?
Did they know?
Did they know that this new life arrived to give them new life?
Did the visitors go home after that and share the news of what had happened in Bethlehem with their families and friends? Did those people then wonder?

I wonder.
I wonder when I think of people today. Do we wonder? Do we ask? Do we wonder about what happened that night and why it was so stunningly orchestrated? Do we wonder why a baby? Do we wonder why the scene played out the way it did?

We sing "Joy to the World", but do we wonder why the songwriter wrote, "The Lord IS come ... "?
We sing "Oh Come, all Ye Faithful", but do we wonder if our hearts are truly "joyful and triumphant" over the fact that Bethlehem's baby was a king?
We sing "O Holy Night", but do we wonder about the world lying in "sin and error pining"?
We sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", but do we wonder that baby Jesus was "born that man no more may die"?
We sing "Silent Night", but do we wonder about "Christ the Saviour was born" ~ and why He was called Saviour? Why did He need to save? Whom did He need to save? From what did He need to save them?

All the wonderings ...

So the simple Christmas morning reading of verses from Luke 2 in the Bible, becomes more than just a story. It surpasses the excitement of gift-giving, of eating sweet treats, of lights on Christmas trees.
It stirs a soul to that place of wonder.
And wondering is good.
Let it lead you to truth.
Let it lead you to hope.
Let it lead you joy and love.
Let it lead you to God.

Merry Christmas to all of you who read my little posts here.
May the wonder of Christmas amaze you and cause you to long for Jesus. May the wonder of Christmas cause your heart to sing, and draw praises from your lips. May the wonder of Christmas turn your eyes to heaven, lift your arms up in worship, and bow your head in humility and thankfulness. May the wonder of Christmas fill you with a knowing of how much you are loved.

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty; who was, and is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8, NIV)