Never lose the wonder By Claire Musters

It was my son’s birthday this week. We captured the very moment that he opened the present he’d been wanting all year – almost since his last birthday – on camera. It was a look of absolute wonder and delight.

That look made me reflect afterwards about the run up to Christmas. We often talk, during Advent, about the wonder of the real meaning of Christmas – and then we get overrun by all the preparations and it can be diminished somewhat.

When we are feeling fraught, overtired and rather overwhelmed by all that’s left to do in such a short space of time, it’s too easy to let our wonder slip away isn’t it? I’ve tried, in some of my writing recently, to cling on to it, but I find it can be all too elusive.

Perhaps it is because Christmas time is somewhat idolised in the media – we see adverts with perfect families all sitting round an amazing roast then having such fun together afterwards and feel an added pressure, particularly if we are hosting family and friends over the holidays. It can be hard not to take that on board and let it take the edge off of our celebrations of the coming of our Saviour…

I was deeply impacted and impressed by an older preacher who came to visit us at the start of December. He talked about it being the first of many Christmas messages he would be bringing during the month. Then he unpacked the Christmas story and its wider impact.

Both myself and my daughter, who I was next to, sat enthralled as he shared. Speaking about it afterwards we discussed the fact that, even though this man is getting on in years, he still has an almost youthful sense of wonder and awe about the gift of salvation that God has given us. It certainly challenged me, as I’m not sure I exude such excitement. I hope it motivated my daughter too, to think about the impact of Jesus’ coming as a baby has on her own life…

Claire is a freelance writer, speaker and editor, mum to two gorgeous young children, pastor’s wife, worship leader and school governor. She is currently Premier Christianity magazine’s freelance news and features journalist. Claire’s desire is to help others draw closer to God through her writing, which focuses on authenticity, marriage, parenting, worship, discipleship, issues facing women today etc. Her books include Taking your Spiritual Pulse, CWR’s Insight Into Managing Conflict, Insight Into Self-acceptance, Cover to Cover: David A man after God’s own heart, Insight Into Burnout and BRF Foundations21 study guides on Prayer and Jesus. She also writes Bible study notes. Her latest books came out this November: Taking off the mask: daring to be the person God created you to be, with Authentic Media, and Cover to Cover: 1–3 John Walking in the truth, with CWR. To find out more about her, please visit www.clairemusters.com and @CMusters on Twitter.