December 14, Curiosity “A Season of Curiosity” by G. Owens

Luke 2:15-16
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So, they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

Theme:
         “I wonder…” Who of us can’t remember some wonderful experiment we may have concocted as a kid? To be fair, some of those experiments may have come with unwelcome results, but living with a sense of wonder is still exhilarating.
With these two words – I wonder – incredible feats have been undertaken, ideas for amazing items have been born, beauty has been discovered, and radical relationships have blossomed to life.

Illustration:
What began as a quiet night of watching over flocks of sheep quickly became a night of indescribable wonder for a gang of shepherds. One angel (who was enough to terrify the shepherds) proclaimed the
fulfilment of one of history’s greatest anticipations. In short order, a multitude of angels appeared in the
skies – and then they were gone in the blink of an eye.
I’ve always wondered what truly drove the shepherds to go to Bethlehem that night. Was it that they had just experienced actual angels? Or maybe their terror cried out to be put to calm. Or maybe it was the
message itself – a savior who was for them. Whatever it was, we can be certain the shepherds made that journey with some degree of “I wonder…”
– I wonder if we heard what we think we heard
– I wonder why a Savior would be born in a barn
– I wonder if this message is the answer to so many years of prayer

Takeaway:
In this Advent season, may we wait with a sense of curiosity of what is to come. May we look forward in anticipation that the coming Savior can reignite in our hearts that sense of wonder which leads to great
discovery.

Prayer:
God of all creation, we want to know the joy of being surprised, the warmth of being included, and the
absolute exhilaration of living with a sense of wonder. May we welcome you into our hearts and our homes as you answer our question of “I wonder…”For Jesus and because of Jesus, Amen.