Christmas, the Date That Doesn’t Matter

This is the time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior and King.

And yes, December 25 probably isn’t His actual birthday. We don’t know the day. We don’t know the season. We may not even have the year exactly right. The Gregorian calendar didn’t begin at the moment of His birth, so we could be off by a few years. Or maybe not. The truth is, we don’t really know.

But we don’t need to.

The Bible never asks us to remember when Jesus was born. It asks us to remember that He was born.

God came into the world He created. Not as an idea. Not as a voice from heaven. Not at a distance. He came as a man. He entered our history, our weakness, our limitations, and our suffering. And He did it to bring salvation, not condemnation.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands…”

1 John 1:1 (ESV)

The miracle of Christmas isn’t the date. It’s the incarnation.

The eternal God took on flesh.

The Creator stepped into creation.

The Savior came close.

And because of that, salvation is not something we earn, maintain, or prove. It is a gift. A real one. Given, not achieved.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke 19:10 (ESV)

So this time of year, I’m not concerned about calendars or correctness. I’m grateful. Grateful that God did not stay distant. Grateful that light entered darkness. Grateful for the greatest gift ever given.

Merry Christmas.

May we remember the gift, receive it again with humility, and rest in what God has already done.