Celebrate Christmas in Your Heart

Christmas is almost here. The tree in the living area is starting to drop a few needles. Most of the presents are already wrapped, which is actually early for me! And while I hope we’ve been thinking about the reason for the season all month long, now is the time to fully turn our thoughts to the true meaning of Christmas.

Maybe the outward trappings of Christmas have grabbed our attention. The carols and shopping and decorations and presents and holiday treats are a fun part of the season. But let’s take time over the next couple of days to meditate on what Jesus’ birth means to us.

In other words, how can we celebrate Christmas in our hearts? How do we move from the noise around us to quiet reflections inside us? Here are five truths we can focus on.

A redeemer has come.

The one promised way back in Genesis finally made His appearance.

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ~Galatians 4:4-5

At the right time, in the right place, and to the right woman, our Redeemer was born. Jesus bought us back. We were His by creation, then separated from Him by sin. He paid the penalty for our sin, and made us His once more.

A Savior is born.

We couldn’t save ourselves.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. ~Matthew 1:21

We couldn’t work our way or pay our way out of the punishment we deserved for our sin. But Jesus, the perfect God-man, came to earth with the mission of saving us from eternal destruction.

He became like us.

Jesus left the glory of Heaven to become a man.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us… ~John 1:14

God took on a body of flesh. Jesus lived within the confines of a human that He might fulfill the Father’s plan to restore mankind to fellowship with Him.

Jesus is God’s expression of His love for us.

We need never ask how much God loves us.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ~1 John 4:9-10

What greater gift could we receive than that which God provided by sending His only Son to die for our sins? We didn’t initiate the relationship; God did, because of His great love.

Jesus, babe in the manger, will one day reign as king.

He will be a just and righteous leader.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder…Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore… ~Isaiah 9:6-7

Not only do we have the blessings of today, but we have a bright future ahead! One day, Christ will reign over all the earth. The baby we remember at Christmas will be the one we worship as Lord and King.

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, may we thank God for the precious gift of His Son. We are all unworthy of the gift. Yet if we accept that Son as our Savior, we are redeemed and assured of an eternal home with Him.

Whatever your celebrating looks like in this year of Covid, I want to wish you and those you love a very Merry Christmas! May you feel the peace and joy that only God can give (and that a virus can’t take away!) Then, just as you pass out other gifts, take that joy and peace and share it with others.

Merry Christmas!!

Related posts:

• 7 Gifts I’d Like to Open That Won’t Be Under My Christmas Tree This Year
• What Are You Looking Forward to This Christmas?
• Are You Getting What You Want for Christmas?