Sunday in worship I told the traditional Christmas story and introduced the traditional Christmas characters found in most nativity scenes. There was Mary and Joseph, angels, shepherds, and wise men. We had a scene set up on stage of a stable and manger. As I told the story and introduced each key character or set of characters I invited (drafted) actors to come up on the stage. We used costumes from our Christmas musical to dress the characters and then they were positioned in the manger scene.
I sat on the platform as people were coming in for each service and wrote down names of potential "actors." None of them knew they would be asked to come up. There were nine people in our scene at each service. They were all good sports and came up to be costumed and positioned. Hopefully, they will all some day find it in their hearts to forgive me.
Reflecting on the day, the original "actors" in God's great drama of the birth of Christ didn't seek out their roles either. They were recruited/drafted into the story God was telling. Like my actors yesterday, they took steps of faith, not knowing where exactly the journey would lead. What the original set of nativity characters believed was that God was trustworthy. He still is.
When Mary was told by the angel that she would conceive and bear a son and she was to give Him the name, Jesus...even though she was still a virgin...Mary's response is amazing, especially for a teenage girl. She said, "I am the Lord's servants...May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38, NIV). She just gave God a blank check for her life and signed it.
This Christmas I pray that as Christ-followers we would be as ready as the original actors in God's great drama to give God our "yes" and follow Him in faith. He deserves our all.
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