Unbelievable but true! Christmas is just a few days away!

When I was young, I used to love Christmas because of the fantastic array of toys that materialised on the floor over night. Often they were just exactly what I had been dreaming of. The mystery of Christmas was heightened by attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

My early days were spent in England, and Christmas it seemed, coincided with the first serious falls of snow. That was a mixed blessing when you got a bike for Christmas and couldn’t ride it because of the icy conditions!

Fast forward a few decades, and I still love Christmas, but not for the gifts that people give. In many ways people are the gift that really matter. Important as they are, they are not THE gift.

Christmas is a time to recall that God loves the world so much that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

That is truly awesome news. The God who made the universe and everything in it entered His own creation as a baby. He grew up as a man with extraordinary wisdom and knowledge, then died on a cross to pay the price for everyone to be set free from sin and death.

Like any gift, it only works if it is received. Imagine the embarrassment and disappointment if you bought your spouse an expensive gift, wrapped it, and as you try to hand it to them they walk away. A gift rejected is just awkward.

God gave Himself. We need to receive Him. Take time over the festive season to reflect on the miracle of “God is with us.”

Happy Christmas!