Finding God in AdventNäide

Because God Always Shows Up

Yesterday I decided to bring the Christmas decorations down from the attic.

It’s October.

This year has felt pretty crazy, and my heart needed something to celebrate…even if it was a few months early.

As my kids and I rummaged through the tangled lights and scattered nativity pieces, I saw an opportunity to turn this into a discipleship moment.

“Why do we celebrate Christmas?” I asked.

“Because Jesus was born!” my seven-year-old daughter shouted.

I was proud. Clearly all my hard work of being an intentional Christian father was paying off.

“But why?” my nine-year-old son chimed in.

“Why what?” I asked.

“Why was Jesus born on earth,” he insisted with genuine curiosity.

“Ummm, well….” I scrambled to figure out the easiest way to explain it.

I’ve spent nearly fifteen years in full-time ministry, and yet here I was, fumbling to find a clear and concise answer to my son’s very simple question.

“Because God shows up. That’s what he does. He always shows up,” I finally said. This answer seemed to satisfy his little heart for the time being.

Here’s the thing. Soon, many of us will gather with friends and family to celebrate the coming of Jesus to earth. We will sing songs, give gifts, decorate our homes, watch football, and probably eat enough food to last us for the year.

But why?

Every good Christian can repeat the Sunday school answer: “Because Jesus was born.” And that alone is worth celebrating. Absolutely.

But what if there is more? What if Christmas is just one piece of a much bigger puzzle? And what if we miss the complete picture if we stare at just one piece?

Because here is the truth, friend. It isn’t just that God showed up as a baby in a manger. It’s that God always shows up.

Let’s dump out all the puzzle pieces onto the table and start putting together the beautiful picture in front of us.