The Nativity story is reassuring on so many levels. It contrasts so dramatically with what we strive to turn Christmas into. There was no room in the inn for Mary and Joseph to stay so the Savior of the world, Jesus, was born in a stable. When we fuss and stress over decorations and details, let’s remember that the stable had no finery.

Jesus’ family was poor and they could not have imagined the modern “essentials” that we give to one another at Christmas. There would have been no clutter to get in the way. The Roman census had forced the young couple to leave their families in Nazareth to travel to Bethlehem, adding their names to the list. They would have had very little with them.

There was no baby shower, no hospital help, no material comfort. We can be assured that God was there ensuring that His Son entered this world safely. He announced the birth with angels and a radiant star. He sent both shepherds and wise men to worship Jesus. We are also encouraged to worship Him. Our focus should be on the Savior and we should not remember Him briefly at Christmas and then forget.

The wise men gave Jesus valuable gifts: far more significant and costly than Mary and Joseph could have imagined. Do you realize that God wants to give you gifts way more valuable than those that your relatives can buy in the store? God is a “triune” God which means that He is one in three persons. At the first Christmas God the Father stayed in Heaven, as God the Son was born in Bethlehem. Once Jesus returned to Heaven after He died and rose from the dead (to secure the forgiveness and salvation for those who believe in Him) believers were filled with the third person of the Trinity: God the Holy Spirit. They were also given special gifts so that they could effectively help people on earth be blessed by God. These include  the “gifts” of communicating God’s message and the ability to help and to heal others.

Let’s push aside the clutter and the materialism and instead let’s worship Jesus. He alone can give us the gifts we need to be cleansed of our sins, filled with love and to have the capacity to love and to help our world as we share Jesus with them. In the movie “The Grinch who stole Christmas”, the Grinch’s heart trebled in size when he saw an unselfish response to Christmas and he became a good Grinch. When we receive the gift of Jesus’ presence (God the Holy Spirit) in us, our hearts will more than treble: they will burst with love for Jesus and for others.

John’s Gospel explains that Jesus came into the world that He created and most  people failed to recognize Him or to believe in Him. There are exceptions and some people responded and continue to respond to Jesus…”to all who believed Him and accepted him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” John 1: 12-13

If you are willing to walk away from your old sinful life and become a child of God, Jesus will give you a new, clean heart, capable of love that even the reformed Grinch was not capable of. You can be re-born as a child of God with the Holy Spirit(Jesus) in you.

Please receive the best Christmas present that you can receive. By now you may have grown tired (already) of your Christmas presents but Jesus is fulfilling forever.

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