Advent – Christmas Eve

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’” – Luke 2:1-14

I feel I must start today with an apology. I promised you a month of Advent readings, and then life got hectic (as it always does in December) after I hit publish on day 13. And now, here we are. It’s Christmas Eve, and we’re missing a good chunk of the content I’d planned to write. Nevertheless, I had a choice: give up because I haven’t executed this perfectly, or show up for you and with you today on the eve of the celebration of the most miraculous gift, even in spite of my shortcomings.

The fact that you’re reading this means I chose to show up, even though I feel I’ve failed. Because I know within the deepest recesses of my head and my heart that Jesus didn’t come for us in our perfection. On the contrary, he came for us in our failures and our flaws and our missteps and our mistakes. So I’m here, imperfect and flawed but willing to be used by the one who redeems it all. Because that’s what Christmas is about … a perfect savior coming for the rescue and redemption of his imperfect people.

Today, I wonder if you feel the same way … imperfect and flawed? I wonder if on this Christmas Eve you feel like you’ve failed? I wonder if you feel that the gift in the manger couldn’t possibly be for you? Surely it’s for the ones who have it figured out, for the ones who’ve made the right choices?

Friend … if this is you, please listen. Jesus came to the dirt and the manger and the no-vacancy stable because you and I could never get to him on our own. We are fallen and flawed. We make mistakes and mess up. We are sinful. But we are saved. Saved by the grace of a son who chose the cradle and the cross.

There is so much I want to write to you today, so much I want to share about the miraculous, preordained, divine intricacies of the birth of Jesus in the city of Bethlehem. I wish I’d started this piece earlier. I wish I’d given you what I’d promised … weeks to unpack all this. But I didn’t, and it’s Christmas Eve, and Jesus is coming. And none of our mistakes matter in light of that reality, because he’s redeeming and resurrecting it all.

I don’t know where you find yourself today. I don’t know the state of your heart or the feelings you may be battling. I don’t know if you’re struggling with a loss or grappling with a death or swallowing the lump in your throat when you see the vacant seat. I don’t know if you’re on the street or in the cold or hopeless and heartless. I don’t know where you stand today, but I KNOW there is a manger beckoning you to come and stand before a baby. A baby who came to the cradle so he could go to the cross … for you, for me, for us all.

That is the glorious reality of Christmas, and that is what we celebrate with such rapt awe and wonder on this Christmas Eve. The son of God came unto us because we could never come unto him. This is amazing grace in such abundance we can scarcely fathom it, and yet it’s poured out to us. No matter our shortcomings or our sins, no matter our mistakes or our missteps. We are never too far gone to meet Jesus at the manager.

Today is Christmas Eve, and the manger is beckoning. Messiah is coming. No matter where you are, I pray you’ll choose to meet Jesus there. Dear Lord, we come to you in awe and wonder, overwhelmed with gratitude at the gift of the birth of your son. Captivate our hearts today and for eternity with the good news of the manger, the cross and the resurrection. Draw especially near today to those who feel far off, for anyone wondering if the miracle in Bethlehem could really be for them. Whisper their name, dear Lord, and give them the courage to accept the invitation to come and adore the baby born to save us all.

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