Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! What a wonderful day to celebrate with family and friends. Christmas is my favorite time of year for many different reasons. The Christmas songs that play nonstop on the radio for like 2 months solid, cookies, lights, stockings, cookies, Christmas trees, putting out our Nativity set, cookies…well you get the drift. There are 1000′s of different things that remind me of this time of the year and when I was a kid eagerly awaiting opening presents. As a child, my favorite presents were my GiJoes, Transformers, and Legos and video games. Not much has changed throughout these years but I do remember something that my family did ever Christmas morning. We would wake up and before any presents were passed out by mom, we would sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and one of us would read Luke 2 from the Bible. The Christmas story is one that most people are familiar with. Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem; Mary gives birth to Jesus in a stable; Angels appear to shepherds and tell them of Jesus’ birth and they go and to find Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. When they find Jesus they glorify and praise God.
Why you may ask would they praise God over a little baby being born in a stable? It is because of what the angels had told them. Not just where Jesus was born but who he is and why he was being born. Luke 2:10 – “good news of great joy, to all people! For unto you is born this day in the city of David A SAVIOR who is Christ the Lord.”
The Savior for ALL people! That is why they were excited and went immediately to Bethlehem. They had a message from God that he had sent His Son to to be born in the likeness of men(Philippians 2:7). Not just to come here and live out his life as we do. He came to save us from our sins. He paid the ultimate price for us, he gave up His life so that we can live with him forever in Heaven.
When I think about all that Jesus has done for us and that it all started on His birthday, it makes me stop and really praise Him and thank Him for His love and sacrifice. As you are out and about today with family & friends and if you do read Luke 2, take an extra couple minutes and soak in what this day really represents and why it is celebrated all over the world. Have a safe and Merry Christmas and we’ll see ya next year!
- Keith
