The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Christmas is once again around the corner. For many of us the coming and going of Christmas has become all too familiar. We’ve become used to the marketing hype of the retailers. We take the shopping frenzy for granted. We’re au-fait with the jingles and carols. And we expect to enjoy family time and festive fare. But we should remind ourselves that even though we’ve visited the Christmas season many times before we can never exhaust the telling of the Christmas story. For the celebration of Christmas should always be one which demands our attention, draws us to the Saviour, and deepens our worship.

Why?

Because even though Christmas is a glorious reality there’s an element of mystery in the Christmas story. There’s something remarkable in the fact that God planned the incarnation of Christ before the foundations of the earth were laid (cf. John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-17). And there’s a sense in which we will never fully comprehend why God chose to “walk down the stairs of heaven with a Baby in His arms” Paul Scherer.

Yes, the story of Christ’s birth is certainly unusual. It was marked by prophecy, a unique conception, angelic announcements, adoring shepherds, an indifferent populace, persistent Magi, a supernatural star, and an odd birthplace. As if that wasn’t enough, the story is especially exceptional because it’s about God humbling Himself, “being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man” Philippians 2:7-8.