As Christians, if we stand back and take a really serious look at what we celebrate today — beyond the manger scenes, the gift shopping and giving, the lights and decorations, beyond Jingle Bells and Good Will to Men — we are recalling an almost incomprehensible event, the birth of Jesus Christ.

Long before Eden was built and then ruined, there was a plan. “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). The creator and sustainer of the universe left heaven and took on flesh to repair the breach between God and man. The Bible tells of it. Theologians struggle to explain it. Many refuse to consider it.

Maybe what we strive to understand actually isn’t complex at all. Maybe the gospel, the good news, is simple – even for shepherd boys to embrace. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Thus is declared the pivotal event in all of history, proclaiming hope and salvation for all who would believe, like a child.

Perhaps a tiny glimmer of what happened in that stable so long ago can be revealed in seeking hearts by the Holy Spirit during a moving candle lit Christmas Eve service. Or by the kind words expressed in a Hallmark card. Or by hearing a song like “Silent Night” in a way you’ve never heard before.

My hope is that this will not be just another Christmas, but that we can all experience that “pivotal event” in our lives, one that launches a trajectory into 2026 to find everything we need in Emmanuel, God with us.