The Most Precious Gift of All

To say that I love Christmas would be an understatement. It's by far my favorite time of year! I love the fun, laughter-filled family get-togethers that come along with the season, the Christmas decorations that light up the neighborhood at nighttime, the beautiful carols and the scrumptious food, the classic movies that make me feel nostalgic for Christmases gone by, the coziness of opening gifts on Christmas morning with Christmas music playing softly in the background, the excitement and anticipation of Christmas Eve... the list goes on and on.

But most of all, I love celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, all those centuries ago in the little town of Bethlehem. And yet, wouldn't you agree that sometimes it can be so easy to lose sight of the true meaning of the Christmas season? I find that I can get so caught up in the busyness of the season that I'm distracted from the very thing that Christmas is all about: God sending His one and only Son--God Himself!--into this world to take away our sins, even though we don't and never will deserve it. It's mind-blowing when you try to comprehend that, isn't it? Jesus could have chosen to be born in a palace to a privileged family, but He didn't. Instead, He humbled Himself and chose to be born to a poor, ordinary couple, in a manger in a stable on a silent, holy night. Really, He could have left us on our own, but He went to such great lengths to save us, all because He loves us so very much.

And because of Jesus, we have hope, peace, and joy in our hearts. Because of Him, we have the most wonderful friend we could ever ask for, Who loves us unconditionally despite our many flaws. Because of Him, we have forgiveness, freedom, and the promise of spending eternity in heaven, if only we trust and believe in Him. Because of Him, we have all that we could ever wish for and more. As wonderful as all the things I listed at the beginning of this post are, they pale in comparison to all the gifts that we've received through Jesus Christ. He is the true beauty and miracle of Christmas!

So in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of last-minute Christmas preparations, let's not forget to keep our eyes on Jesus and celebrate His birth. Let's be filled with wonder, awe, and joy when we think of the baby Jesus lying in a manger, born to suffer so that we may have life. He truly is the greatest, most precious gift of all!

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." 

- Luke 2:10-11

Wishing you a very merry Christmas,

Molly