The Birth Of Christ

The Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

What makes this time of the year so special? The lights, the music, the gifts, the giving, the sharing of special moments with those with love? There is a wonderful feeling of joy that pervades this season more than any other time of the year. Children adore the Christmas trees, the decorations, and the jolly old man who will bring them their hearts desire. The excitement of young and old as the day draws near to celebrate, is sometimes overwhelming.

As we celebrate the biggest holiday of the year, do we truly understand the real reason behind this joyous occasion? Is its significance still one that thrills the heart as we ponder the birth of a tiny babe, born in a stable, and heralded by the angels of heaven as the Savior of the world. Luke 2:11 Or has the world’s attempt to remove the nativity and the birth of the Christ child, succeeded in reducing this event to a mere commercialized event that is soon forgotten with only the lingering effects human ideals. The lights go out, the bills come in and the excitement fades until another year. What seems to be missing from the true meaning of this glorious holiday?

Have we contemplated the glorious gift that was given to us by a loving God? Do we think upon the mystery and glory that shone that wondrous night in a little town so long ago that Christ exchanged His majesty and divinity to tabernacle with His creation? He became one with us, a gift so wonderful that the human heart has yet to truly grasp the supreme sacrifice. The babe, the Son of Mary, had come to a world that would from that day to this refuse to accept the gift He would lay at their feet. His life for theirs, His divinity for their humanity, their freedom for His death. This gift of life was wrapped with the beautiful wrapping of love. There could be no greater gift!

We can put away the worldly wrappings of Christmas, remove the brightly colored decorations, and the excitement will fade away until the season comes again, but the gift of Christ’s birth can be cherished and enjoyed throughout the year. Perhaps God in His infinite wisdom deliberately did not record the month and day of the Savior’s birth. We may celebrate His birth on December 25th, a date of pagan origin chosen by the world, but that is not the issue. The true meaning of the occasion is why He came. Satan would have us to focus on the superficial and the timing thus distracting mankind from the importance of this amazing gift of God to His children. To a great extent he has succeeded. Many places refuse the display of the nativity scene, and Xmas trees, gifts and worldly parties and festivities remove Christ from the picture. Children see only a red suit, a reindeer and expensively wrapped gifts as the meaning of the season. Many never know or understand the story of the Babe in the manager, and they miss the greatest gift of all.

Amid the hustle and bustle and pressures of the holiday where has the birth of Christ fit into your thoughts and plans? For those who chose to attend a church service as a duty for the holiday season, does it have any meaning the rest of the year. When we hang up the mistletoe, put away the tinsel and return the unwanted gifts, do we forget too the real reason we have come to celebrate this season? Will the “peace on earth, goodwill to men” mentality fade with closing of the day?

As we behold the Holy Child and understand the gift and the ultimate journey that babe would take to insure the salvation of mankind, will we pack it away with all the other Christmas symbols and think no more of it until next season? The Savior’s birth was only the beginning of God’s glorious plan of salvation. How can we accept all that Christ is, all that can be and all that He will do for those that will accept Him, if we don’t fully understand or desire to know the depth of His love which began in the little town of Bethlehem.

It is not difficult to give gifts to one another out of love and caring, but to the one who has given us so much we return to little. His desire is not for the gifts of the world, but the gift of the heart. He wants our love. He wants us! What He has given to us can never be measured by the standards of the world, but to those who have found its worth, it is the Pearl of Great Price! No gift could be greater than that. To find Jesus, not just for a season, but for eternity!

As we enjoy the beauty of the season, lets not forget the Christ Child, the real reason mankind has any reason to celebrate. Without the birth of the Savior who was willing to take on our humanity, who was willing to walk the path of suffering and rejection, and offer His life a gift to mankind, how lost we would be.

We can spend time and effort and money to promote the myths and magic of a manmade holiday will all its fun and festivity, but has mankind placed the birth of the Messiah among the relics of these fables and fairytales? Satan would wish it so, but can we as children of a Mighty God forget Him who was born to save us from our sins?