Do you See Him?

By: Max Lucado
God Came Near


It's Christmas night.
The midnight hour chimed and I should be asleep, but I'm awake. I'm kept awake by one stunning thought. The world was different this week. It was temporarily transformed.
The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we are intended to be. We forgot our compulsion with winning, wooing, and warring. We put away our ladders and ledgers, we hung up our stopwatches and weapons. We stepped off our race tracks and roller coasters and looked outward toward the star of Bethlehem.
It's the season to be jolly because, more than any other time, we think of him. More than in any other season, his name is on our lips.
For a few precious hours, he is beheld. Christ is Lord. Those who pass the year without seeing him, suddenly see him. People who have been accustomed to using his name in vain, pause to us it in praise.
All of a sudden he's everywhere.
In the grin of the policeman as he drives the paddy wagon full of presents to the orphanage.
In the emotion of the father who is too thankful to finish the dinner table prayer.
He's in the tears of the mother as she welcomes home her son from overseas.
He's in the heart of the man who spent Christmas morning on skid row giving away cold baloney sandwiches and warm wishes.
Emmanuel. He is with us. God came near.
It's Christmas night. In a few hours the cleanup will begin--the lights will come down, trees will be thrown out. Size 36 will be exchanged for size 40, eggnog will be on sale for half price. Soon life will be normal again. December's generosity will become January's payments and the magic will begin to fade.
But for the moment, the magic is still in the air. Maybe that's why I'm still awake. I want to savor the spirit just a bit more. I want to pray that those who beheld him today will look for him next August. And I can't help but linger on one fanciful thought: If he can do so much with such timid prayers lamely offered in December, how much more could he do if we thought of him every day?



The gift is not from man to God. It is from God to man.



We pray each of you has a Blessed and Wonderful Christmas!
-Nick and Reyna