When Heaven Arrives at Your Doorstep

As I re-read the Christmas story this year, the word “adoration” came to mind. All of the central characters in this history-making story responded to the foretelling of the miraculous birth of Jesus with adoration toward God. 

Mary - the young, poor girl from a small village, looking forward to her upcoming wedding.

Her cousin Elizabeth - newly pregnant due to God’s intervention in her old age.
Joseph - pledged to Mary and wanting nothing more than to be a good and godly husband.
The Shepherds - working out in the fields, watching over their sheep. 

The Magi - reading the stars from their observatory in Babylon. 

In their own unique ways, these individuals all respond with joy when heaven arrives at their doorstep. They may have doubts and questions, but they embrace the heavenly interruption of their lives, and they respond with adoration to the Christ child.

How might we respond if God made us part of his story in a similar way? 

What would we do if an angel came into our room – like he came into Mary’s - and told us we were “highly favored”? That we would have a miracle baby? Mary defied her knowledge of human biology and accepted Gabriel’s words as true.

Could we trust as she did? 

How about if we’re confronted with what seems a fearful choice, as Joseph was: to divorce your fiancé or believe what an angel said in a dream? Joseph defied the traditions and customs of his culture; he did something that the Jewish Law gave no guidance on. 

Could we act with resolve as he did? 

What would we do if God caused our own body to react to a baby in the womb of another woman, as happened to Elizabeth? 

Could we celebrate as she did? 

What would we do if we stepped outside to get a breather after a busy day at work, or a crazy day with the kids, and suddenly the sky lit up like a thousand spotlights and an angel started talking to us about God’s new work in the world? 

Could we let the heavenly messenger transform our fear into joy, as the shepherds did?

And if we saw some evidence of God’s existence, would we go on a long journey to search for confirmation, as the Magi did? 

What would you do…what would I do…if heaven arrived at our doorstep, just as it happened during the very first Christmas? 

I hope that we – like our spiritual ancestors – would embrace God’s intrusion into our lives and respond with trust. With joy.

With adoration for the Son of God. 

Let me pray for you. 

Dear Jesus, I pray those reading this blog would be struck anew with the miraculous gift that you gave in sending your Son Jesus to earth. As they reread the story, help them to consider ways they can express their adoration for you this year. 

Where there are doubts or fears, help them to come to you. May they grow in learning to trust you as they obey and humble themselves before you. As they praise you, may their obedience and sacrificial offerings be given more willingly. In these ways, Lord, you can draw them to a place of greater devotion, to express with their lives Mary’s words, “May it be as you have said.” In the name of our King, Jesus. Amen!