Christmas

Christmas.
One of the best times of the year.

Everyone giving, family getting together, gaining lots of weight eating all the Christmas cookies, and last minute shopping.

It's easy, with all the hustle bustle of the season to forget the reason we celebrate Christmas day.

Most of everyone knows the story.
An angel.
A virgin.
A journey.
A stable.
An incredible birth.
A holy child.

Jesus, Son of God, was born in a barn on Christmas day. Laid in a manager filled with hay. Wrapped in swaddling clothes. Mary and Joseph watching over Him, cattle, sheep, and shepherds looking on, worshiping the baby King.

Yes, celebrating to remember the birth of a King. King Jesus.

But this is not the only thing I'm thinking about this season.

This is not the only thing we should be celebrating/remembering.

Yes, this baby lying in the manager is grand. But when I look at that baby in my nativity set, I see a Man.

A Man beaten.
A Man scarred.
A Man bleeding, bleeding for my sins. Bleeding for your sins.
A Man taking my place.
A Man taking in the wrath of God for me.
A Man that loved me enough to die.

This Christmas season, when you grab that last present, bake the last batch of cookies, look at the family around you, see the nativity set sitting on your shelf, remember why Christmas is so important.

It's not just about the baby lying in the manager. It's about the Man, hanging on the Cross, dying for our sins.


~tJf~