And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. - Luke 2:6-7 (NLT)

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Merry Christmas!

I hope your Christmas Day is off to a great start, and even though it looks and feels different this year, I pray that you and your family are able to take time to pause and reflect on the significance of today.

Many of us received gifts today, and I genuinely hope you received what you asked for this year. In fact, I want you to think about your favorite gift ever. Everyone has one! Maybe it was your first iPhone, or the comfiest pair of slippers ever made, or was it the Red Ryder BB Gun? Whatever it was for you that made that Christmas the best one ever, there’s a good chance that you’re not quite as excited about it today. The truth is all material gifts provide us with short-term joy. Think about it. The Good News is that the gift wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger is not of this world. The gift of Jesus isn’t going to go stale and you’ll never outgrow Him like you did last year’s Christmas sweater. I mean, name a gift given over 2000 years ago that is still changing the world today.

Before or after you open presents, take some time either by yourself or as a family to pause and read the Christmas story together in Luke 2:1-20. Talk about what makes this gift different. In a year where the word “different” has characterized nearly every aspect of our lives, let’s lean into it. Christmas 2020 is different, and Jesus coming to earth is different. However, that “different” gift given long ago ended up being the greatest gift the world has ever seen.

Thank you so much to everyone that joined us on this 12-Day Christmas Devotional journey. Have a wonderful Christmas day and we’ll see you online for our family worship experience this weekend!