Wonder of Wonders

“And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.”—Luke 2:17-18

There are a few things in this world that can generate wonder. In antiquity there were the Seven Wonders of the World—the Great Pyramids of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. In the ancient world, the word “wonder” came from the Greek word “themata,” which means “things to be seen.”

After the angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds near Bethlehem telling them about the birth of God’s Christ, and they saw and heard the angelic host saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased”—they went to see Him. Once there, they told all who were present about everything that had just happened and the response was amazing: “And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.” There was a sense of marvel, awe and a desire to see and understand more. Even Mary, Jesus’ mother, who had seen and heard the angel Gabriel announce her pregnancy and declare that He would be 

“…great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:32-33). 

 Luke reports that she “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart”—Luke 2:19. Even she wanted to understand who her baby was and what He was going to do.

The incarnation is greater than any of the wonders in antiquity or today for it is the wonder of wonders. There is no story greater, no mystery more imaginable, nor moment more definable. Time itself is measured by Jesus’ birth—all time before His birth is measured as B.C. or Before Christ and after that as A.D., which is abbreviated Latin for “Anno Domini,” which means “in the year of our Lord.”

May we marvel at the wonder of wonders and tell everyone what God has done in Christ. And may God use our testimony to bring others to understand who He is and what He has done so that they too may say, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!"—Luke 2:14. Amen.