Have you heard the news? Have you been told the wonderful news? Do you look forward to the celebration? Is it a one-day celebration or do you celebrate throughout the year? How do you celebrate? Do you have a big family dinner? Do you gather for multiple dinners?
Christmas Day is still several days away. Yet many are already holding celebrations. For some of us, we participate in multiple family dinners, depending on whether we are married or not, our workplace has dinner, or we gather with close friends. Celebrations are everywhere.
Are we celebrating for the right reason? It is unfortunate that some only think of the gifts (or the cost of them) during this time of year. Their focus is not on the Christ child but on the commercialism of it all. Now, make no mistake about it. There is nothing inherently wrong with giving gifts.
A wonderful sign was given nearly two-thousand years ago. God came to this earth in person and was born in a stable and placed in a manger—a feeding trough. God came down from heaven to live in the very creation he had created. We may have heard the story so often that we have lost the wonder and awe of this amazing birth.
God performed one of his two most amazing miracles on that day. The Creator came to his creation to walk the dusty roads, sleep on the ground, and interact with the people he created. Of course, the second most amazing miracle happened on the day Jesus was resurrected. But it is the His birth that we celebrate on Christmas Day. It is the joy of a newborn babe. It is God loving us so much that he came to live with us.
I pray we all enjoy our celebrations. I pray we celebrate with family, friends, and co-workers. I pray our celebrations include our thoughts focusing on the wondrous birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrate Jesus’ birth. Celebrate our Savior coming to us. Celebrate the miracle of God.
Luke 2:12 “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Marty Pressey 