Christmas seemed so far away, but it is tomorrow! If you’re not careful, all you could be left with this Christmas is a lot of shredded wrapping paper, a wrecked house from all those Christmas parties, and credit cards that need to be paid off. After December 25th you can be left asking yourself, “Where did Christmas go?” The activities of Christmas can be so hectic that “The 12 Days of Christmas” should be rewritten to say, 12 tangled light strands, 11 gifts to wrap, 10 days till school starts, 9 crazy in-laws, 8 AAA batteries!, 7 hours of driving, 6 play rehearsals, 5 hours of baking, 4 easy payments, 3 kids with fever, 2 office parties, and a fruitcake from two years ago. Many good things can crowd out the one great truth that Jesus came to earth, born of a virgin, to save people from their sins.

How could anyone miss the first Christmas? There was a HUGE star in the sky! Angels appeared to shepherds, who I’m sure couldn’t keep quiet. Could you be quiet if an angel appeared to you? I’m sure it wasn’t a silent night but a chaos-filled night. A pregnant teenage girl claiming to be a virgin came into town to pay taxes with a man fifteen years older who was not her husband. She said, “The Holy Spirit did it.” Would you have believed her? I’m sure it’s hard to miss a nine month pregnant teenager riding through town on a donkey. They even placed a newborn baby where cows and pigs had been eating slop. While many people had to have seen them, many still missed the first Christmas.

Most people don’t miss Christmas today because they truly hate God or are anti-Christmas. They are distracted. The preoccupation with holiday preparations and immediate satisfaction of physical instead of spiritual needs causes people to miss Christmas. It is not too late to prepare for Christmas. Jesus is no longer a baby in a manger but a risen and ascended Savior! He is seated at the right hand of God and His Holy Spirit is longing to be the center of your life, not just your Christmas day celebrations. The best way to not miss Christmas is to not miss Jesus the other 364 days of the year. Make Him first in all you do and not only will you celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, you will fulfill God’s divine purpose for your life.

Questions: Have you made room for Jesus in your house? Are you saving the best for Him this Christmas or giving Him a backseat to human holiday traditions? Are you about to miss Christmas?

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stephenrharrison

Stephen and his wife Haley have called Arkansas home all of their lives. Stephen has served in several ministry roles over the last 25 years and as a lead pastor for the last 8 years. Stephen attended Williams Baptist College and earned a BA in Biblical Studies from Ouachita Baptist University, an MA, MDiv, and DMin in Christian Leadership and Pastoral Ministries from Liberty University. When not pastoring, Stephen enjoys running, cycling, reading, writing, camping, fishing, and spending time with his family.