Mary Wrapped a Present

“For unto us a child is born, unto us, a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Although the date is unknown, we celebrate Christmas on December twenty-fifth, singing songs about family gatherings, the season, and Jesus' birth. But without His coming into the world, we have no Christmas. That first Christmas celebration was not around a decorated tree filled with twinkling lights but in a stable with animals and smelly straw. Even though the environment wasn't ideal, the couple appreciated the kind person who gave them lodging. In that stable in Bethlehem, Mary wrapped a present to the world, the first Christmas gift. The wrapping was not colorful store-bought paper with a bow, but ordinary cloth cut into strips. God, the Giver of all good gifts, not Mary, gave humanity this one-of-a-kind, life-changing gift (John 3:16). The name tag on His sacrificial love-Gift read: To the World. Love, God.

Jesus surrendered to the Father before anything ever existed to pay the ultimate price for your sins and mine—a debt we could never pay ourselves. He was born to die for us to have the promise of eternal life with His Father. Once you accept Jesus, you can leave the priceless gift “wrapped” and only settle for the security of eternal life or unwrap it and enjoy all the benefits of the meaningful life God has in store for your journey of faith. The choice is yours.

The shepherds looked through the stables of Bethlehem, seeking a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, God’s sign that they found the Messiah. Have you received and opened the treasured gift of God’s Son, called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace? Do others recognize Christ in you by your “wrappings?” Without Christ, Christmas is meaningless.