The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. John 1:4 (NLT)
Winter signaled its arrival during the night, adorning everything it touched with a thin veil of frost. Denuded tree branches, once so stark and gnarly, shimmer like jewels under the soft, winter sun. The meadow, so arid after summer’s drought, now glistens like a coffer full of jewels. The ground crunches underfoot as I take our black Labrador for a walk through the woods behind our house. Winter has come to call, at least for a season.
Though the air is crisp and my toes are cold, my soul is warmed by God’s soft whisper of love. All around me, I see evidence of God’s transforming power; what seemed so drab yesterday has been embellished by His touch – drab to fab.
This morning, I am mindful of the transformations God brought to the darkest moments in Mary and Joseph’s lives: an unconventional pregnancy; talk of a quiet divorce; broken hearts; a Roman Emperor with sudden whims; a pregnant teenager on an arduous donkey ride; a dim stable with cattle as birthing coaches; hay for bedding and a manger for a cradle.
Yet God transforms this dark, dismal situation into His most jaw-dropping act of wonder; God, in flesh, is born to the world. Rather than mailing birth announcements, God sends angelic telegrams to proclaim the good news. Shepherds drop in, unannounced, to worship before the long-awaited Messiah, then run off to gab about it to anyone and everyone who will listen. A brilliant star, unlike any other, shines in the night sky above a tiny town called Bethlehem. Astronomers turn up, bearing gifts for the child, then bow down and worship the King of Kings.
My mind ruminates on all these events as I walk through this winter wonderland, and slowly my morose spirit begins to melt like the frost on the trees. God speaks to my soul, reminding me of the true reason for Christmas; His incredible gift of love. Christmas is about God bringing fab to the drab, light to the darkness, hope to the hopeless, and joy the sorrowing.