“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life,and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
- John 1:1-5 NIV
Christmas Day has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute we’re untangling lights and trying to remember which box the ornaments are in, and the next minute the house is full—coffee brewing, wrapping paper flying, kids on the floor, adults pretending they don’t care about the gifts but leaning in just the same.
Family and friends gather. Some we see every week, some only once or twice a year. Some relationships are easy; others carry old stories and quiet tension. Yet for a few hours, we sit in the same room, pass the same food, laugh at the same jokes, and remember—this matters.
Long before there was a decorated tree, there was a family gathering of sorts in Bethlehem. It wasn’t tidy. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t Instagram-worthy. A young couple. A borrowed stable. Animals as witnesses. And there, in the middle of it all, lay the greatest gift ever given.
Jesus.
No wrapping paper. No ribbon. Just love, grace, and mercy wrapped in flesh and laid in a manger.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
- John 3:16 NIV
Christmas Day reminds us that God chose closeness. He didn’t shout salvation from heaven; He stepped into our living room. Into our mess. Into our broken relationships, our worn-out hearts, our long tables filled with imperfect people.
Grace showed up before anyone deserved it.
Mercy arrived before anyone asked for it.
Love took on a name.
As we watch children open presents or we hand a warm plate to someone we don’t always agree with, we catch a glimpse of the Gospel...
Giving without keeping score.
Showing up even when it’s complicated.
Choosing love because love was first given to us.
Jesus is the gift that keeps giving long after Christmas Day ends.
When the house gets quiet again...
When family tensions resurface...
When loneliness creeps back in...
Emmanuel—God with us—doesn’t pack up and leave with the decorations.
So today, around crowded tables and familiar faces, may we remember what we’re really celebrating. Not just traditions. Not just togetherness. But a Savior who came close so we could come home.
And maybe, just maybe, as we extend a little extra grace to the people in our living rooms, we’ll reflect the greatest gift of all—the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas!
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
