Today we wake up with a child eager to open the presents under the tree. We watch her and claim her excitement as our own. We help tear the gifts from their boxes, cut tags, unwind cords to she can play with the things we’ve given her. We wear silly hats, rush out to the last dregs of snow in the yard to make snowballs with the new snowball maker. We take pictures and smile and then lay on the couch for a Christmas nap. We look forward to ham and potatoes, green beans and another celebration yet to come.

Jesus’s birthday. God incarnate, God come to earth as a tiny baby boy, prepared for an eventual death to free mankind from their sins. This is the reason why our family celebrates of a day of gifts and good food. Jesus! Behind the physical manifestations of a party is this supernatural reason for the party—eternal life with our God, made possible by the perfect life and sacrificial death in our place. Today we celebrate with joy the birth of our Savior knowing full well that we’ll celebrate with grief in a few month’s time his death on our behalf. It’s all more than a little mind-boggling. And it requires faith to see what we cannot see and to listen to God’s whisperings in our hearts.

Praise be to God for the gift of Jesus today. We are grateful. We long for the day we see him again face to face and faith becomes sight.

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Revelation 21:1-5