6.) We should live every day expectantly.
In Matthew 2, the Magi come to praise Jesus after being prompted by a star. Yes, the Magi were astute astrologists. But the Magi saw something different when this star appeared. And they saw something different because they were expectant. Their eyes were open.
How many days do we wake up expecting to see God? It is possible to miss out on amazing works of God simply because we aren’t expectant. Seeing God’s work requires a different focus and posture.
7.) God never forgets his people.
One generation passes. Then another. Egypt. The Promised Land. Judges. Kings. Captivity. Still no Savior.
I think it is fair to say some Israelites wondered if the Savior would ever come. They were human. There are times in my life when I wonder if God has forgotten about me.
Jesus’ arrival reminds us God never forgets about his people. He is present. He is working. Never lose hope. No matter how hopeless or helpless our situation, God never abandons us.
8.) Sometimes answers come in unlikely places.
“Alright, God. Here’s the gameplan. Let’s raise up a king greater than David. Far greater. At the height of his reign, we will send Jesus to be his first born son. He will become king, take over the world and save us from our sins. It’s foolproof.”
“Wait … what? You’re sending Jesus through a poor carpenter and his fiancee … and he will be born in a bed of straw? I am not sure that game plan will work, God. Do we have a plan B?”
In typical God fashion, he flips human logic and reasoning on its head. No one would have expected the Savior of the world to make his grand entrance in a manger. But God’s answers come in unlikely places. They come in unlikely circumstances. God doesn’t need position titles, followings, bright lights or stages to change the world.
God needs … God. He can and will show himself in the most unlikely of circumstances.
9.) God fulfills his purposes through broken, ordinary people.
Remember the time God used a perfect person to do something great? Me neither. It doesn’t happen. Repeatedly, God looks at the most lowly, least talented guy or girl in the line … and picks them. Mary and Joseph were righteous people. But they were poor. They had 9-5 jobs. Not rock stars. Not kings or queens. Just normal people.
And God rattled the foundations of the world through two ordinary people. Never buy the lie that God can’t use you.
10.) God is active in the world.
God is active. He is working. Right now, God is molding hearts. He is shaping lives. He is drawing people to himself.
Every action and circumstance, good and bad, prepared the way for Jesus. When we believe God is absent, it is not because God is taking a break. God is always working. We must open our eyes.
11.) God’s promises do not come without struggle and tragedy.
This is a common thread in God’s plan. On the heels of baby Jesus’ arrival comes one of the most tragic events in the Bible. King Herod, out of fear and anger, orders every child two and under to be killed (Matthew 2:16-17).
Tragedy is a core trait of this broken world. Our lives are filled with tragedy and difficulty. But allow the birth of Jesus to remind you that struggle and tragedy are often the catalyst for great things.
12.) The gospel is for everyone.
Don’t miss this. One of the first groups notified of the Savior’s arrival were the Magi. Not the religious leaders. Not even a Jew. The Magi were Gentiles.
God is setting a new precedent with baby Jesus … salvation is for everyone. God’s people are not marked by an ethnicity. They are marked by a cross. The gospel is not an American product. And we need to spread the gospel to every human on earth.
