Will You Accept the Christmas Gift of Jesus?
I am a last-minute Christmas shopper. Well, not exactly last minute, but I like to wait until late December. Sometimes being a last-minute shopper has been a necessity—that is, when the budget allowed for Christmas shopping. But even with a less-demanding budget, I still like to shop for Christmas presents close to Christmas Day. I want to fully embrace the season, and I just can’t do that with Halloween decorations and Christmas décor side by side. So usually you will find me on December 22 and 23 (and maybe the 24th) locked in my bedroom, surrounded by piles of presents and mounds of wrapping paper, a Christmas movie playing in the background, wrapping gifts.
While I enjoy and embrace all the trappings and traditions of Christmas, I still want to make sure, for myself and my family, that we never forget the true meaning of Christmas. My desire is to make Jesus more than the figure in the nativity scene on our mantel. The Christmas season can be both wonderful and magical as well as stressful and busy. Amid all the ways we can celebrate Christmas, sometimes Jesus can get lost in the shuffle. This can be true outside of the Christmas season as well. In a great sermon delivered by our youth pastor recently, he reminded us that we should start with Jesus at the beginning of every situation, every day. As we set aside time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, let’s also set aside some time to remember exactly what that means for all of us.
When you accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will be blessed with eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). God sent his Son as a gift to us because of his love for the whole world. That is a grand gift for everyone on the earth, but it is also a personal gift. Whoever believes in Jesus shall have eternal life. It doesn’t matter what you look like, where you are from, or what you have done. Jesus is for you!
It doesn’t matter what you look like, where you are from, or what you have done. Jesus is for you!
Some of my favorite verses in the Bible are in the book of Luke and describe the night of Jesus’s birth. I love to read them anytime, but especially at Christmas:
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2: 7–11 KJV)
Whether this is the first time or the hundredth time you have read those words, I suggest you pause for a minute and let the wonder of that moment wash over you. Picture it in detail in your mind. God in the flesh was born on earth, and he was born to save us all.
It’s a true story, and it’s true for every person on this earth. God came to save you because he loves you so much. Will you accept this gift of Jesus and salvation? All you have to do is tell him yes, yes, I accept this gift of salvation and believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
If you have already accepted the gift of salvation, remember this wonderful, life-changing gift as you celebrate this Christmas. Remember how much God loves you today and every day.
is a writer and blogger as well as an elementary and middle school teacher. She and her husband live in Georgia with their three children. In addition to teaching and writing, Dana loves to read, watch Food Network and HGTV, follow politics, and paddleboard. She blogs at danaherndon.com.
Photograph © David Everett Strickler, used with permission
