what Christmas means to me

For me, Christmas can be summed up in three simple words.

God with us.

700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah said, "The Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

What does "Immanuel" mean?

God with us.

God, the creator of the cosmos, wrapped himself in human flesh and came to the earth he created.

He wasn't born to a wealthy married couple in a mansion. He was born to a young girl and her financially poor fiancée in a cave, because there were no rooms available for them in the town of Bethlehem.

Instead of being wrapped in gold blankets and put in a comfortable crib, he was wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in a manger. Basically a feeding trough for dirty outdoor animals.

And who were the first people to see Jesus, besides Mary and Joseph? Shepherds. Smelly shepherds who hung out with sheep all day and were the lowest of the low in social circles.

What humble beginnings for the King of Kings.

Why did he do that? Why did the God of the universe come to earth?

Because he loves us.

He loves me.

And he loves you.

We are his children. His creation. The work of his majestic hands.

And he knew we needed a Savior.

So the Father sent his one and only son to this crazy, dark, messed up world.

To save us.

From sin.

From death.

Through the Son, we can have a relationship with the Father. And if we believe in Jesus, nothing can separate us from him.

That is what Christmas means to me.

I celebrate Jesus' birth. The birth of my Savior who left heaven and humbly came to earth so we could know him. And find grace, love, and forgiveness through him. And be saved from what we deserve.

Immanuel.

God is with us.