Do you remember when you were a child - how long it took for Christmas to arrive?! I still feel that way! Once the calendar turns to December - there’s the dynamic tension of hope, expectation and endurance! Those combine into an anticipation that makes Christmas, Christmas!
That same dynamic is what made the first Christmas extraordinary because for centuries God had been silent and people had waited anxiously for the birth of their Messiah - the Saviour. For many there wasn’t any assurance that they would even live to see Him. They asked would it ever really happen? Had God forgotten about them? And after all this time - would they even be included? Have you ever felt that way about life? About God? About hope?
So when angels announced the birth of Jesus to a group of shepherds - an invitation to life was given to all humanity. An invitation is an indication of inclusion. It tells us we are wanted. It’s an affirmation of worth and belonging. No matter who we are, where we’ve been, what we’ve done or what we believe - we have all been personally “Invited to Christmas” and to the true and lasting peace, hope, joy and love that Jesus brought!
