God Came Near: Prepare Your Heart for Christmas

Excerpted from the book God Came Near by Max Lucado (Multnomah Books, Questar Publishers 1987).

By Max Lucado

Contemplate one text and thought each day before Christmas.

1

The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we were intended to be. Matt. 22:34-40

2

If He can do so much with such timid prayers lamely offered in December, how much more could He do if we thought of Him every day? James 5:13-16

3

God goes to those who have time to hear Him—so on this cloudless night He went to simple shepherds. Luke 2:8-20

4

In becoming man, God made it possible for man to see God. John 14:1-14

5

After a nation of chosen ones had ripped His incar­nated flesh, He still died for them. It is that very irratio­nality that gives the gospel its greatest defense. For only God could love like that. Rom. 5:6-8; 8:13-17, 31-39

6

God became earth’s mockery to save His children. The only thing more absurd than the gift is our stubborn un­willingness to receive it. Luke 14:15-24; 1 Cor. 1:13-31

7

Little heart . . . holy heart . . . pumping the blood of life through the universe: How many times will we break you? Micah 7:18-19; Eph. 2:1-10

8

Joseph knew that the only thing worse than a venture into the unknown was the thought of denying his Master. Matt. 1:18-24, 2:13-15

9

Jesus didn’t have to go. He could have ignored the call, or at least postponed it. John 10:11-18; Matt. 26:36-54

10

He saw your face aglow the hour you first knew Him. He saw your face in shame the hour you first fell. Ps. 139:1­ 18; Heb. 4:13

11

There was not one person who was reluctant to approach Him for fear of being rejected. Mark 2:13-17; Matt. 8:1-4

12

Remember, it is man who creates the distance. It is Jesus who builds the bridge. Rom. 8:5-17; 5:6-8

13

I’d thought of God as one who commands, one who weeps. But a God who sighs? Mark 7:34; Mark 8:11-13

14

In the agony of Jesus lies our hope . . . That holy sigh assures us that God still groans for His people. John 17:1- 26

15

Only God can deal with our ultimate dilemma—death. He has to be God in the face of death. If not, He is not God anywhere. 1 Cor. 15:12-28

16

Jesus was born crucified. Whenever He became con­scious of who He was, He also became conscious of what He had to do. Luke 9:51; John 10:17-18

17

Had Jesus been forced to nail Himself to the Cross, He would have done it. It was not the soldiers who killed Him: It was His devotion to us. Eph. 2:1-5; 1 John 4:9-10

18

Would you like to see Jesus? Do you dare to be an eye­witness of His Majesty? Then rediscover amazement. Job 9:4-10; Ps. 104

19

Hope is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction. Rom. 15:4; Heb. 6:13-20

20

Eternal instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession, and the future is nothing to fear. Ps. 27:1-5; 1 John 4:18

21

We are presumptuous not when we marvel at His grace, but when we reject it. Heb. 10:24-25

22

We should stand in the quiet company of Him who saved us and weep tears of gratitude and offer words of thank­fulness. Rom. 7:24-25; Titus 3:3-8

23

Christianity in its purest form is nothing more than see­ing Jesus. Heb. 11:6

24

Christian service in its purest form is nothing more than imitating Him who we see. Eph. 4:17-5:21