Katie Nelson

Do you remember the best birthday you’ve ever had? 

Did it include an awesome gift? Did you get to go somewhere special? Did you spend it with all your favorite people?

I would guess that on that birthday, you felt celebrated. You felt seen. You felt remembered.

Christmas in Jesus’s birthday. 

I wonder how He feels about his birthday party. Does he feel celebrated, seen and remembered when we rush to buy gifts, stress about seeing relatives, and become consumed with getting it all just right?

“So while this world rejoices

And celebrates your birth,

I treasure you, the greatest gift

Unequaled in your worth.” 

-Mary Fairchild

Jesus’s birthday isn’t about us having to bring Him a gift, but rather God giving us the gift of His son – the most precious present and presence we could ever ask for. 

John R. Rice said, “You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father’s face and tell Him you have received His Christmas gift.”

His gift is salvation. His gift is peace. His gift is Himself. 

Pastor David Jeremiah explains, “The primary reason he (Jesus) came to earth was to perform a rescue mission. ­Jesus also mentioned a secondary goal. He said, ‘My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10). When he said those words, he was talking about sheep again. He said that a false shepherd simply uses the sheep; a true shepherd loves them enough to give his life for them. ‘I have come not ­only to rescue you,’ he was saying, ‘but to help you see all the wonderful possibilities that life can hold for you. I want you to squeeze every single drop of joy out of this life. And if I ­didn’t come to show you, you would never know how.’”

The miracle of Christ’s birth and the reverberating impact it had on eternity is so monumental that the celebration cannot be contained to a day. It needs to be spread throughout an entire month. But let’s not stop there. 

Calvin Coolidge said, “Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”

If you haven’t had a chance to, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. Have you received God’s gift of Jesus? Do you see Him as the best gift? Why or why not? Share your thoughts with someone or find a trusted friend and ask them what they think.

If you’re looking for a way to reflect this Christmas, I created a 5 Minute Daily Prayer Journal. In it, you’ll find helpful ways to connect with the Lord through simple journal prompts. To order, you can find it here on Amazon. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a Merry Christmas!