So . . . having finished my reading plan for this year . . . and having yet to start up again for next year . . . I’m left a bit rudderless . . . left more to “nibble” here and “sample” there as I hover over the Scriptures this morning . . . Christmas hymns playing in the background . . . and the wonder of the Christmas story in the forefront of my mind. And something that has been sloshing around in my mind over the past few weeks comes to mind again . . . that there is a difference between celebrating “the season” . . . or even celebrating “the reason” . . . and being captivated by the wonder of Immanuel.

Christmas is so defined by tradition . . . at least for me. Decorating the house the way we always decorate it . . . putting on the favorite Christmas music . . . singing the songs I’ve sung since I was kid . . . watching movies together that we watched when the kids were kids . . . anticipating the warm feelings of family being together . . . conceding that I’ll have a few pounds (ok . . . maybe more than a few pounds) to lose in the New Year . . . and, not gonna lie to you, a bit of curiosity around what will be under the tree.

Yet, by the grace of God, there is a depth to this time of year. Something that casts the tradition in the shadow of the remembrance of a Child born . . . a Savior given. Each gift given . . . each gift received . . . a reminder of God’s gift to a blind world, the Light of His Son . . . God’s present to a world dead in sin, the Life of His Son . . . God’s “surprise” given to all who believe, the Legacy of His Son as we have been made children of God and joint heirs with Christ, graced with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.

But while I love the season . . . and am so grateful for a saving grace that allows me to appreciate the reason . . . as I’ve been “doing December” and a variety of Christmas activities, there’s been this nagging thought in the back of my mind that it comes up short if we don’t get beyond it all to the wonder of what God did on that night . . . in that place . . in the small town of Bethlehem.

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel (which means, God with us).”

Prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14) . . . revealed to a young Joseph by an angel which appeared to him in a dream (Matthew 1:23) . . . Immanuel . . . God with us. God incarnate . . . God with skin on . . . the Creator entering into His creation . . . the Almighty veiling Himself in the ordinary . . . words failing, really, to describe adequately the depths to which God determined to go in order to redeem men.

The baby born who, “though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself . . . ” (Php. 2:6-8a). The One who is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature” (Heb. 1:3) . . . “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15) . . . “for in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col. 1:19).

God incarnate . . . Immanuel . . . oh, the wonder . . .

As much I enjoy the tradition of the season . . . as grateful as I am that I have been changed forever because of the reason . . . may I not miss out on the opportunity to worship afresh because of Immanuel. Beyond my joy . . . beyond my thankfulness . . . might there be also a healthy dose of facedown awe. More than just taking in the sights and sounds . . . more than opening the gifts . . . more, even than thanking Him for His indescribable gift . . . might there be worship . . . inner-core, beyond words, make your heart swell to almost bursting, worship.

Immanuel . . . Glory to God!