On the Message of Christmas

1 Kings 19:9-12 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10 So he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life." 11 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD. ' And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

Many people are “in search of God.” To most of these, God seems frustratingly impossible to find. Believers and unbelievers alike often find themselves seeking some sort of proof, a spiritual “5 Miles To What You’re Looking For” sign on the path of life. There are questions we all face: How will this turn out? Am I doing the right thing? Why me? God, are you really out there?

We tend to look for God in the grandiose, in natural disasters or what we perceive as the unexplained miraculous. Our human concept of God says that He is a big God, and because of this human concept, we attach human attributes to His presence. We imagine God to reveal Himself the way a celebrity or some other VIP would present themselves: a red carpet, bells and whistles, a big production.

But, you know, even though God is indeed a big God, even though He has all power and glory, He is most often and most clearly made known in the softest and smallest of ways. We expect the earth to move, the heavens to shake with the rolling thunder, fireworks and cold chills and emotion. God can make Himself known in those ways; He has before. But the most effective, the most meaningful ways are far, far different.

Elijah, in a fearful and weak and all-too-human moment, came before the Lord seeking reassurance, seeking strength, just seeking the Lord. What was humanly expected, happened: a powerful wind, strong enough to break the rocks into pieces, blew through the mountains before Elijah. But the Lord was not in the wind. The earth shook, the very foundation beneath Elijah’s feet rolled to show its own weakness; yet the Lord was not present in the earthquake. Nor was His presence in the fire that passed by, burning with a fervent heat all that could be consumed. But then in a moment of peace came a still, small voice. Here, then, was the Lord.

For centuries, Israel waited for their Messiah, but their Messiah never came. They looked for an exalted king, a military conqueror, another Caesar. Many had come in the name of violence and power, but the Lord was nowhere to be found. Then, in a moment of peace came the presence of God. Very few people noted the day as anything special, as anything out of the ordinary. Yet from this day forward, the world would never be the same.

Out of the way, hidden among so many travelers and their hectic schedules, lost within the struggles and trials of so many individuals seeking an elusive hope, the Lord God became flesh to dwell among us, to bring light and life to all those who would accept Him. The loudest statement God ever made to the world was spoken in the small cry of a newborn Baby, lying in a manger.

Throughout His life, Jesus proved that the Lord says more with less; He was the most forceful when the meekest; He was strongest when He was weakest. This should be the lesson for us all as we search for the Lord. Seek not after the winds, the earthquakes, the fires. Seek after the still, small voice of God.

That is the lesson of Christmas: the Lord can be found, if only you know where (and how) to look. God is great, there is no doubt. But God’s greatness is most often seen and heard and felt not in colossal displays, but in those quiet, personal moments. This Christmas, allow the still, small voice of God move within your heart. Allow the silent night of Christ’s birth speak volumes to your soul. Contemplate just how miraculous, how meaningful, and how earth-shattering that one tiny life would be to all generations.

The birth of Jesus is more than a virgin mother, more than a stable, a star, and shepherds. It is God speaking directly to us all, from the loftiest to the lowliest. What does the Lord have to say to you? To me? To the world? Listen for His still, small voice. Let your soul listen to the message of the birth of Jesus, not just the story of that birth. Don’t try to fit God into your own understanding. Allow your understanding to be molded and shaped by, to be receptive to the voice of the Lord, and you will find what you’re seeking.

May you have a blessed Christmas. My prayers are with you.

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