One Ordinary Night

On an ordinary night, many years ago, an angel appeared to a virgin to tell her that the favor of God was upon her — that she would give birth to the Son of God. On an ordinary night, nine months later, while people slept soundly in their beds, an extraordinary event took place. The God child was born in a stable in Bethlehem, and placed in manger.

The Heavens rejoiced! The angels sang! Some of them were so excited they appeared to the shepherds, who were struggling to stay awake as they watched over their sheep. The lowly shepherds, a people group that others despised, had the honor of being the first to be invited to gaze upon the child. So the shepherds went to an ordinary stable, filled with ordinary animals, and encountered two ordinary people, named Mary and Joseph. They approached the manger and saw, with their very own eyes, the blessing that God had sent — the promised child. Their hearts were filled with awe and wonder at God's gift to mankind.

Every day is an ordinary day. But when we ask the Lord God Almighty to open our hearts to receive His Gift, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. For when we say, "Yes," to Jesus Christ, our hearts become filled with a new hope. We become sons and daughters of the Living God, and we begin a journey of discovery. We start to understand how awesome God really is, and that we are new creations in Jesus Christ. We discover that God the Father has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus, and that He is rejoicing over us with singing. We discover that God is a God of comfort, who heals our broken hearts and equips us for the journey ahead.

May you allow Jesus Christ to heal any brokenness in your heart, this holiday season. And may the joy of Jesus abound in you.

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