The baby lies in the manger while Mary and Joseph lovingly watch him. We see the shepherds returned to their flocks. And, the Wisemen went home to their regular lives. Did the experience of the miraculous birth change them in any way? The Bible does not indicate what happened to them, so we cannot answer the question.
Christmas Change
But, we can ask ourselves a similar question. Has the birth of Jesus changed our lives? Or do we pack the manger and the decorations away without another thought of the baby until Easter? So what kind of changes does the Christmas baby want to see in each of us? In my blogs during December, we looked at the characteristics of Christmas. The Christmas story teaches us about faith, hope, and love. And, the baby Jesus wants to change us into a people with faith, hope, and love that we demonstrate to those around us.
Now What?
So now, what do I do? Jesus, the Christmas baby, invites us to faith in Him. His royal birth sets us free from the slavery of the Old Testament laws. Faith allows us to live out our lives in hope and with love. Baby Jesus teaches us to hope as we witness His life unfold in the pages of the Bible. And, everything Jesus does in His life shows us how to love our neighbors and our enemies.
Now what? Since our Christmas has passed, we can still look for the gift found in the lowly manger. God offers us the best present ever; a baby wrapped in the swaddling cloth of our salvation. Without the manger, there is no cross. So, this year, as you pack away the Nativity set, remember to unwrap the gift of salvation. A gift Jesus teaches us to use every day of our lives in our service to Him.
Prayer
My Lord and Savior. Thank you for the gift of Jesus that very first Christmas. May we continue to seek Him every day of the New Year. May the lessons of Christmas stay with us each day, and may we spread the joy of the season to everyone we meet. Amen.
Wishing you and your family a Blessed 2021. May the New Year bring us peace and joy and many Blessings.
Blessings,
Yvonne M. Morgan is an author, blogger, and speaker.
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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This Christmas is so different from our Christmases of previous years. It has forced many, myself included, to look more closely for Christ’s intervention in the way I see him and how I relate to the world around me.
Change is never easy and God can help us through it. He is such an important part of these difficult times. Thanks Janice. I pray you have a blessed New Year.
Great questions–has His birth changed us? And what will we do now? Love this!
So many celebrate Christmas without fully understanding the true meaning or significance of the birth of Christ. Thanks Nancy and have a blessed New Year
I was thinking of this earlier today, and so you words hit home — “Has the birth of Jesus changed our lives? Or do we pack the manger and the decorations away without another thought of the baby until Easter? So what kind of changes does the Christmas baby want to see in each of us?” Thank you for the conviction and for shining light into what God needs me to see (and do!).
It is so easy to fall into the trap of only thinking about Jesus on Christmas and Easter. May we always seek Him. Thanks Jessica and have a blessed New Year
Yvonne, this is deeply beautiful. There is a Christmas song that includes lyrics about Jesus coming to earth with tears of dew, knowing what lay ahead. Truly, our joy goes so much deeper than the gift of Christmas. For the God of all creation laid down His life that we may live. Hallelujah! Oh what a Savior! God bless you and your family in 2021!
I pray for your new year to be full of blessings for you and your family. Thanks so much Melissa. You are a blessing
The lessons of this year were rich, soaking in an increased awareness of even greater intimacy with Christ. I learned about new ways to pray with my whole self. I discovered once more that no matter the hardship, Christ is with me, close and personal. I know that the Lord has changed everything about the way we interact with one another as a church (his body), for we have all come through a shared experience. These will all go with us into the coming year — greater empathy with others, greater awareness of the closeness of Christ, greater appreciation for prayers without any words, myself the prayer, and yet God can hear my heart. The Baby who became the Man who died for me comes with me everywhere I go.
He goes with me everywhere I go too and He has changed me from the inside out. Thanks Melinda. May the Lord bless you and yours in the coming New year.
I love musing on the lives of the biblical characters and what they must have experienced, even though God leaves those stories untold this side of heaven. It makes me wonder if, when we get to heaven, those stories will be told and we will laugh together about what we thought they went through, possibly getting some of it right and lots of it wrong. Nonetheless, to ponder is the stuff of our imaginations and that’s a fun thing to do – to dream, to write and to create stories that make people want to know God.
Very true Lisa. I hope we do get to hear the stories first hand. Thanks for commenting and I pray you have a blessed new year.
I am thankful for the babe born that precious night. I am thankful for His love and forgiveness. Happy New Year! 🙂
Happy new year Melissa. His love is amazing. God bless.
Beautifully said, Yvonne. Love how you expressed this: “Jesus, the Christmas baby, invites us to faith in Him. His royal birth sets us free from the slavery of the Old Testament laws. Faith allows us to live out our lives in hope and with love. “
Thanks so much Karen. I pray you had a blessed Christmas and May the Lord guide you and protect you in the year ahead.
Beautifully said, Yvonne. And like how you expressed this: “Jesus, the Christmas baby, invites us to faith in Him. His royal birth sets us free from the slavery of the Old Testament laws. Faith allows us to live out our lives in hope and with love.”