Where is Jesus This Christmas?

On Monday morning, December 19, our youngest two grandchildren, Henry and Annie, came to our home before delayed start school. Kathy entertains these two bundles of energy each week, and then brings them to Monday classes which begin at 10:00 a.m. Henry and Annie are bright, and active, and when they arrived and took off their coats this week, they decided to start counting manger scenes in our home. They saw the three nativities on our mantle. They continued counting ceramic decorations, advent wreaths, pyramids, and hangings placed around our home. They also found many of the nativity themed ornaments on our Christmas tree. Their probably inaccurate count was 26 depictions of Jesus’ nativity. After all, Christmas IS about the birth of our Savior, Jesus.

When we decorate our home each Christmas, Kathy has many decorations which she likes to place around our home. I like to focus on the manger scenes. However, there is a mystery which occurs each year as I display our crèche displays. We have 3 main nativities which we have acquired over the years, one which we bought in St. Louis in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s, one which we purchased in Alaska in the 1990’s, and one which we brought home from Israel in 2007. We also have an advent wreath with a full manger scene. For these large nativities, I first have to find the boxes where all the figures are stored in tissue paper. Then I have to find the individual pieces, the shepherds, the wise men, Joseph and Mary, etc. Because Jesus is the smallest figure in each display, the baby Jesus piece is often one of the last I find. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll find that most important piece. As I put out our nativity scenes I hear myself asking out loud, “Where is Jesus?”

Is that a question you find yourself asking, or a question you should ask yourself this Christmas season? “Where is Jesus?” If we acknowledge the truth that Christmas is about the gift of God’s Son, come to this world to save us, does it cause you concern if you have trouble finding Him in your Christmas celebration? Does it cause you concern if you have trouble finding Jesus in your life? Sometimes we are the ones who make Jesus hard to find. Do the decorations, the gifts, the cards, the movies, or modern culture hide our Savior in your life? Do your personal struggles steal the peace and joy of our Lord from your life?

Maybe we need to learn a lesson from the shepherds. The angel told them that first Christmas night, “ . . . Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) Hearing the good news of the Savior these men did not remain in the fields, they went searching for Jesus. “15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” (Luke 2:15-16) When God sends the promised Savior and Messiah, when God Himself comes to this world to bring love and to save us, WE DO NOT WANT TO MISS HIM! We want to find and receive Jesus!

When I put out the manger scenes in our home, I need to work to find baby Jesus by working through the tissue paper and the figures. There are ways we can look for Jesus and find Him in our lives this Christmas. The best way I know to find the source of our Christmas celebration for your life, is through worship in the Christian Church. Every Sunday during Advent, Christian congregations are preparing for our Savior to come to us. Mid-week worship is preparing people to receive Jesus in His Christmas coming. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services celebrate the gift of our Savior. Home devotions can help us receive Jesus. Christian Christmas music can help us find God’s gift. God works through personal prayer time and comes to us. The shepherds teach us that, while our Heavenly Father has given us the greatest Christmas gift ever, we need to focus on finding and receiving that gift of His Son, our Savior.

One of my recent devotional prayers asked God to help me in this search. “Father in heaven, . . . light my path and show me the activities and obligations I can say ‘no’ to. Help me release the burdens that preoccupy my mind and keep you at bay. Come near!” (Pocket Prayers by Max and Andrea Lucado, page 28)

Jesus really is “the reason for the season.” Even more, Jesus is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) How will you search for Him this Christmas. As the angels proclaimed, Jesus has come “for you.” I pray that you find and receive Jesus, and His love, and forgiveness, His peace and His joy!