We go through the same routines year after year. We’ve done it long enough that we know what to expect and what is expected of us. It’s called tradition (or a rut depending on how you look at it). We are even being pushed by a growing secular society to pretend that it is not about Jesus but about holiday cheer and good will. But even if we resist the bullying of those who want to keep Christ out of Christmas, I wonder if somehow we still miss Him.

In the Gospel of Matthew chapter twelve, Jesus tells His audience three times, “Something greater is here”. The implication was that in spite of how they think they have everything figured out that they were missing “something greater”.

The truth is Jesus’ coming was so that God could be “with us” (Emmanuel, Mat 1:23). He is immanent – very present. The problem is we are too often unaware of that. The simplicity of Jesus message was that wherever we are and whatever we are doing there is always “something greater here”. He said, “It is here”, that is, within our grasp. It is near us, around us, surrounding us. We are too quick to settle for mediocrity – to accept that this is all there is when all the while Jesus message is “something greater is here”.

Jesus audience was missing it when the “something greater” was standing in their midst. How many times though do we miss Him as Jacob did when he declared, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not” (Gen 28:16)?

Christmas can be a time when we get so caught up in traditional festivities that we are oblivious to “something greater” that “is here” and now.
We become captivated by the splendor and color of the decorations while missing the glory of the Lord in our midst.
We become enticed by the sales and shop with frenzy while the gift of His presence is passed over.
We happily sing the traditional songs of Christmas while being deaf to the songs He is joyfully singing over us (Zep 3:17)
We don our gay apparel and join in the merriment of the endless parties oblivious to the feast He has prepared for us.
As I write this, I set aside my pen. I pause and remind myself once again these words – something greater is here.
And I invite you the reader to pause and close your eyes and in the midst of all that is going on in your life right now, allow yourself to dare to believe and to declare – something greater is here!