Advent Week Four: A Love that Changes Lives

When [the shepherds] 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. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:17-19)

The incredible Christmas story—the Incarnation, the wonder of God taking on flesh and coming to earth as a human—is a love story. As the song says:

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

(Isaac Watts, “Joy to the World”)

The wonders of His love. Love is powerful, isn’t it? Love can change your life. Love can change the world.
 

After the angels proclaimed the wonders of God’s love to the shepherds…well, what do you expect? They ran to find Him! After they saw Jesus, they told everyone who would listen. Wouldn’t you? Can you imagine? I love the mental image of these overtired, overexcited young men leaping and hollering all over town, shouting so incoherently the villagers can hardly understand. But all who heard them were amazed.
 

Let’s take a moment to consider the scene Luke describes. We have a group of shepherds glorifying and praising God, and all the amazed folks left wondering in their wake. They have seen or heard something unbelievable, the wonders of God’s love made tangible.
 

But in the midst of this hubbub of wonder, one person was pondering it all quietly. After the labor of birth (not to mention the post-delivery visitors who smelled of sheep), Mary was left to grapple with all that was happening. More than any other, Mary experienced the wonder of God’s love in the incarnation, incredibly up close and personal. No wonder she was pondering these things in her heart. Her story too was unbelievable.
 

Do the wonders of His love set you rejoicing, wildly spreading the news to everyone you meet, like the shepherds? Do you, like those who heard their report, stand baffled with amazement at such a love, and such a story? Or do you, like Mary, hold the miracle of love in your heart like treasure, pondering the mystery?
 

However you respond to God’s love, let it shake up your day a bit. There is enough wonder in this story to go around.