As we approach the beginning days of December, the holiday season comes with it. Many people give gifts, eat together, and attend Christmas festivities. As time flashes by, it’s easy to lose sight of Jesus entering the world as a baby. We forget Mary’s story, Joseph’s courage, and the journey to the stable. The state of the world saddens us and angers us with righteous anger, so we might also forget the true meaning of the season through this distraction as well.
Jesus’ story holds the true meaning for our hope in this world. His birth signifies new life for all who chose Him. The season highlights Christmas traditions of wrapping gifts, singing ancient holiday hymns in church, and others, but we need to remember the true, most important tradition of this season.
Dig out your Bible and read His birth story. Read a nativity storybook to your child or watch an adaption of the story as a family. God calls us to always be present in Him. Now let’s put aside the presents and glorify our holy present from King Jesus.
If you’re a Christian, this reminder calls you into action, but if you’re not a Christian, this might mean nothing to you.
As said before, this time of year holds the power of Christianity: new life. You have the power to choose a new life for yourself. Jesus wants to celebrate this season with you.
Perhaps you feel guilty. Maybe you are in jail, or you hate someone. Maybe you committed adultery or worshiped dark things in the world. Perhaps you were hurt by members of the church. Perhaps you fear Christianity because you think that you need to achieve perfection.
Your story is important to Jesus. No matter what sin you committed, you can still be held by Jesus. If you committed a sin, the Lord knows that, and only He can set you free. He freely told His story of birth, preaching, pain, and death. Now you hold the power to tell Him your story and set yourself free.
Isaiah 55:6-7 reads as follows, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”
The Lord also talks about following rules and trying to be perfect. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
He tells us in this verse, Ephesians 2:8-10, that we need to focus on God and not our works. He gave His life for us, and we can’t do a thing to earn it.
He gifted us the greatest, most perfect gift of all. He gave us new life. Merry Christmas, truth seekers.