The Greatest Christmas Gift

No one really knows when Jesus was born. Most scholars agree that He was born in either September or October, during the Feast of Tabernacles. But the fact is, He came, and it is documented and substantiated through many Bible prophecies fulfilled. I personally think it's a good thing to observe the Christmas season as we do, which for followers of Jesus is the celebration of His birth and coming. We should, as a matter of fact, celebrate His birth, life, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection 24 X 7, 365 days a year. I mean, after all, Jesus IS the Savior of the world!

Because of the way we celebrate His coming, I especially love the month of December in which we observe the Christmas season. It is encouraging to me the way most all religions, even if just ceremonially, observe the coming of Jesus! If ever there is a time when the whole world at least acknowledges the birth of a baby, laid in a manger in Bethlehem of Judea, it's the month of December, and specifically December 25th.

As a child I loved Christmas. I loved getting through Thanksgiving because I knew  the day after Thanksgiving, in our little town, the Christmas lights would begin to go up over the streets. There was no Black Friday then. Only Christmas Lights Friday! I loved that time when folks began to decorate Christmas trees (and their homes) for Christmas. To me this meant that in just a few short weeks, I would get my Christmas gifts! It meant that soon, on Christmas Eve, our family would gather with my Grandparents to exchange gifts. As things were beginning to look a lot like Christmas (that would make a great Christmas song), Christmas Day was in plain sight! Christmas day was when we kids got all the "Big Stuff"! As a child, Christmas meant Christmas lights, Christmas decorations, Christmas gifts, and a big Christmas deposit of toys appearing in our living room on December 25th.

In 1978 I completely sold out to Jesus. I surrendered any and everything I even remotely thought was mine. My life changed drastically and soon after, Connie's life changed in the same way. From that time I began to see the reality of what Christmas was all about. It became abundantly clear to me that Christmas was about Jesus, the Christ, the Savior of the world. And each year since my sell-out, the true meaning became more and more clear to me.

This year, in the midst of a pandemic, I have never been more excited about the Christmas season. Again, I understand we celebrate everything about Him every day of the year. But in this season in which the world itself begins to focus on the fact that He came, I have never been more excited! God has something eternally special for you and me this Christmas season. Look to Jesus and receive all He has for you this year.

I still love the lights, the decorations, and it's not bad getting some gifts. But more than anything (aside from His coming itself), I love the giving of gifts to others. God gave to us the greatest gift, not just of all times, but of all eternity. That gift is Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, laid in a humble feeding trough in a cave, in a little town called Bethlehem of Judea. That little baby grew up to become a man, the Lamb of God who took your sins and my sins upon Himself. He bore them for you and me. He's not just a babe anymore. He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lord, and the Prince of Peace. He shall reign forever and ever! Receive the gift of Jesus and worship Him!