One of the things I enjoy most about this time of year is receiving Christmas cards from family and friends. Here are several of the ones our family has already received. Some of you have probably received Christmas cards at your home, also.
A nice thing about getting a Christmas card is the chance to hear from people who are many miles away, but for whom we still have much love. Although we can't see one another as often as we'd like, we use Christmas as a good opportunity to send a card, maybe with a note inside, with which we send a reminder of our love.
In fact, that's what Christmas is all about. Some 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son, Jesus, to become one of us so that we would know of His love for us. In a sense, the baby Jesus was like a living Christmas card, expressing God's love for us.
But He is much more than that. That same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, and whose birth we celebrate at this time of year, is the one who would give His own life for us so that you and I can become part of God's family. So Christmas and Easter are like two sides of the same celebration, the celebration of God's love for us through Jesus Christ.
So this year on Christmas morning, as you open gifts from those who love you, remember that the greatest gift of all was given to you by God — and that you must open your own heart to Him to receive that gift: Jesus. (JMD)
