Was The First Christmas An Accident?
By: Kristen L. McNulty
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I have a question for you- do you think that what happened on the very first Christmas was an accident? Was it just by chance that Augustus called a census that sent Joseph and Mary down to Bethlehem, thereby fulfilling a prophecy told hundreds of years before? Was it a coincidence that Joseph, Jesus' father, was a descendent of King David and that only through this rare bloodline could the Messiah be born? Was it an accident that this young baby fulfilled over 300 prophecies given hundreds of years before? Was the very first Christmas an accident?
No, what happened on that very first Christmas was no accident. In fact, it was a divine plan conspired in the vastness of heaven. A plan that began with a birth, stretched a life 33 years, then ended with a gruesome death. But this was God's plan- perfected from its humble beginnings to its violent end and this plan has captured and changed millions of lives. This plan is redemption itself.
I know we often save talk about redemption for the Easter season, but in truth, the redemption story could have never started without this one baby's birth and that is the true reason why we celebrate Christmas.
You see, Christmas isn't about Santa Clause or food or tons of presents- its all about the greatest gift that was ever given to you and I. And that gift is all found in the baby named Jesus.
God could have written us off a long time ago and with good reason. Starting with what went down in the Garden of Eden, He offered us so much in life, but day after day we continued to squander it. So instead of leaving us in our own mess, God Himself stepped down into the grime to clean things up.
In the Baby of Jesus a fresh start was given. An opportunity for forgiveness and eternal life. An opportunity for hope.
Maybe you've having trouble accepting this because looking around, hope can sometimes be hard to find, but it is there and it all starts with accepting the very first Christmas gift ever given.
Christmas wasn't an accident- Jesus' birth was an incredible gift given to both you and I. Five years ago, I stopped running from both myself and God when I accepted the gift- today I want to ask you to do the same.
In the person of Jesus, not only do you receive eternal joy in heaven, but a friend to get you through the rough times here on earth. Christianity isn't a fix-all formula that makes all your problems go away, but Jesus is the One who when all the world has turned their back, is till there.
If you would like to accept the Ultimate Christmas gift- I invite you to stop right now, wherever you are and accept it. How do you accept this wonderful gift? By believing in Jesus Christ and inviting Him to come into your heart.
You see, we all stand on one side of a crevice and God stands on the other side, separated because of sin. We have a choice. We can either walk across the bridge that has already been built by Jesus' gift, or we can spend our lives building our own bridge by our good works that will never quite stretch across the distance.
Today, why don't you accept the greatest Christmas gift by going God's way instead of your own. If you'd like to accept Jesus, pray with me:
Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner. I know that I could never stand perfect in your sight on my own, so I would like to accept You into my heart and ask You to forgive me of my sins. Come into my life and make it Yours. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me live my life for You.
I accept Your gift Jesus and I thank You for it. In Your precious name I pray. Amen.
If you just prayed that prayer with me, heaven's throwing a party because the Bible says all of heaven rejoices when one sinner turns to God.
I encourage you to let someone know about your decision today and if you'd like some free stuff to help you grow in your faith, email madradioshow@hotmail.com.
This devotional was aired as a part of the Making A Difference Christian Radio Show.