And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:9-11 NASB

Familiarity can rob us. When we see the joy experienced by a child over those little things that are “ho-hum” to us, we are reminded of that world of joy that is lost in adulthood. Maybe, as an adult, you have had a joyful experience that later slipped away into obscurity. You want to keep the joy alive, but you wonder how.

Have you also wondered about those shepherds? After that supernatural experience and the joy of finding the baby, what happened next? Did they hold that first joy in their heart or did the harsh realities of the world they lived in bury it? Did the memory of that “holy night” stir up joy in them or did the passing years and the familiarity of the story slowly lessen the joy? Thirty years after that holy night, were any of those shepherds alive to hear Jesus teach, see his miracles, see the crucifixion, or behold the risen Jesus? Probably not. But, 2000 years later, how blessed are we to have “the rest of the story” in the pages of the Bible?

Do you feel joy at the knowledge of who Jesus is and what he has done to give you life or has the familiarity of the story robbed you of that initial joy? Grasp hold of these words, “Let not the Promised Son remain a stranger; In reverent worship, make Christ your Adored.” When Christ is your Adored, the joy will grow and continue to blossom.

Lord Jesus, stir up in me the joy of your birth, coming as a human to make new life available to a dying world. And may that joy cause me to fall on my knees in holy worship and in joyful adoration.