Today’s Verse
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14
The Gift Beneath the Wrapping
Christmas has a way of burying its own meaning beneath layers of beautiful wrapping paper. The lights are stunning, the music is moving, the traditions are meaningful, but somewhere in the middle of all the celebration, we can lose sight of what we’re actually celebrating.
We’re not just commemorating a nice story about a baby in a manger. We’re celebrating the most audacious rescue mission in history, God Himself stepping into human skin, entering the mess and brokenness of our world, to bring us back to Him. The Creator became a baby. The Eternal One entered time. The King of Heaven was born in a stable. This is the scandal and the wonder of Christmas.
And here’s what we can’t forget: the manger was never the destination. It was the starting point. The baby wrapped in swaddling clothes would one day be wrapped in grave clothes. The hands that grasped Mary’s finger would one day be pierced by nails. The journey that began in Bethlehem led to Calvary. Christmas and Easter are two parts of the same story, God’s relentless pursuit of you.
The gifts we exchange, the meals we share, the lights we string up, none of it is wrong. But it’s all meant to point beyond itself. The decorations are meant to reflect the Light of the World. The generosity is meant to echo the greatest gift ever given. The gathering together is meant to remind us of the God who came to be with us.
Today, in the run up to the big day, remember why you’re celebrating. Let the wonder wash over you again. God didn’t stay distant, He came close. And that changes everything.
Today’s Prayer
Lord, help me remember the real reason for Christmas, to keep Jesus at the center when everything else tries to crowd Him out.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the gifts, the parties, the traditions, the busyness, and lose sight of the miracle we’re actually celebrating.
Teach me to pause in the middle of the chaos and remember that Christmas is about You, God becoming flesh, stepping into our broken world to rescue us.
The lights and decorations are beautiful, but they’re meant to point to something greater, to the Light of the World who came to pierce our darkness.
Help me celebrate in ways that honor the real meaning, to give generously because You gave everything, to love extravagantly because You first loved us.
Remind me that the manger leads to the cross, that the baby born in Bethlehem grew up to die for my sins, that Christmas and Easter are inseparable.
Give me moments throughout this season to stop and worship, to read the nativity story with fresh eyes, to marvel at what it cost You to come for me.
Let my heart be captivated by the real reason for Christmas, and may everything I do this season reflect the joy, the wonder, and the worship due to Emmanuel, God with us.
In Jesus name,
Amen.