In 1858 a scientific expedition passed through what we today call the Grand Canyon. A young lieutenant wrote in his report: "This region is altogether valueless. It can be approached only from the South, and after entering it there is nothing to do but leave. It shall be forever unvisited and undisturbed."

In 1863, when Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address, a newspaper editor in Harrisburg wrote, "We pass over the silly remarks of the President. For the credit of the nation we are willing that the veil of oblivion shall be dropped over them and that they shall no more be repeated or thought of."

Two thousand years ago a baby was born in a tiny town called Bethlehem. The next morning, anyone in the community would have agreed, "Nothing significant happened last night." And yet the hinge of history is on the door of that Bethlehem stable. That one event changed the world forever. God became one of us, that we might become one with him.

So far in the Advent season we have found hope in the promise of heaven; peace in the fact that the Christ who changed Matthew can change us; joy in the knowledge that we are all welcome at the party; and love in obeying his perfect will as Joseph did.

We've shared Christmas with Matthew. Now let's watch him end Christmas, and make the story our own. Yesterday we opened our Christmas presents. Now let's give the Christ of Christmas his, today and until the first Christmas leads to the second. What does God want for Christmas this year? Why will the question matter to your soul all year long?