The faintest blush of pink tinted the clouds before the first rays of sun fanned out on the horizon. With anticipation, I stepped outside a few minutes later to gaze at the gold, orange, and pink splashed across the morning sky–natural beauty more stunning than any artwork a human could create.
Later, I mentioned the vibrant sunrise to a few people and got a range of reactions: one person was disappointed about missing it, another was amazed I was up early enough to witness it. Eventually, I encountered a friend who had been dazzled by it too. Sharing the photos we’d snapped, we marveled at its beauty together.
And that got me thinking. How often is God at work doing something that we overlook entirely?
Take Christmas, for example. We’re in the midst of the Advent season anticipating the celebration of a world altering event. But from the overstuffed shelves in stores and flood of advertisements online, it seems advent is more about shopping and eating than celebrating God coming to earth in human flesh. Advent’s true purpose is to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ’s birth 2000 years ago and to remember He will one day come again to rule and reign.
I’ve been reading through the book of Luke this Advent season (with 24 chapters, it’s the perfect lead up to Christmas). It reveals people on a spectrum of anticipation—some were awaiting the arrival of the Messiah for decades, others learned of it spontaneously and rejoiced, while others couldn’t be bothered to notice. Let’s consider a few of these responses and what we might learn from them.
The Innkeeper: Joseph and Mary traveled during the ninth month of her pregnancy in response to a decree issued by Caesar: “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:4-7, NIV)
We don’t know the innkeeper’s name, only that his “No Vacancy” sign had probably deterred many travelers from seeking shelter for the night. When a weary young couple arrived desperate for a warm, dry space to deliver their child, he found them a spot among his livestock. We’ll see others in the story whose hearts drew them to the Christ child, but this innkeeper doesn’t seem to be one of them. Distracted and busy, he seems to have missed out on the miracle that was happening in his own stable.
How might busyness and responsibilities be distracting you from where God is at work around you—whether it’s during the Christmas season or all through the year?
The Shepherds: While Joseph tended to Mary and baby Jesus in the stable, a party in the heavenly realms spilled onto the earth: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.’” (Luke 2:8-18, NIV)
The shepherds weren’t scholars of Hebrew prophecy, but when the angels appeared to them, they jumped to action. Their hearts were open and responsive; they weren’t so absorbed in their own responsibilities that they couldn’t be bothered to see how God was at work. Not only did they go to marvel at what the Lord was doing, they shared the incredible news of Christ’s birth with others.
How open and responsive are you to the Lord? Do you take action when He prompts you? How can you share your amazement at His works with others in your life?
Simeon: Around one month after giving birth to Jesus, Mary and Joseph followed the law of Moses and took Him to the temple to be consecrated. “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.’” (Luke 2:25-32, NIV)
The Messiah had been promised starting with Adam and Eve in Genesis. His coming had been prophesied numerous times over the generations that followed—most notably with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and Isaiah. Among the characters we’ve considered in Luke’s gospel, Simeon was the one who had kept his eyes open for the movement of the Lord. Devout and faithful, he had been studying prophecies and awaiting the birth of the Christ child for decades. When the moment finally came, he was ready; his heart and mind were fully attuned to the Holy Spirit and he experienced overwhelming peace and joy.
The degree to which we fix our minds and hearts on the Lord affects how we respond when He moves. If our main goal is for God to make our lives comfortable, we’ll miss out on all the ways He’s at work and inviting us to join Him. As followers of Jesus, the central focus of our lives is to know Him and to make Him known. We’re meant to be preparing for Him by bringing more of His kingdom to the world around us through the work of the Holy Spirit within us. For followers of Christ, life is a continual season of Advent until He returns to rule and reign over the new heaven and the new earth.
I’ll be exploring this in further detail with a series on Revelation in spring of 2025. For now, consider who you identify with in the examples from Luke 2 and who you’d like to resemble: the harried innkeeper, the surprised shepherds, or the expectant Simeon. Let your preparations this Christmas fill you with gratitude for the child born in Bethlehem and anticipation for the yet-to-return conquering King.
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