First Christmas

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10

Yesterday was my baby boy’s first Christmas. At eight months old I’m not sure if he understood all that was going on and he’s still working on the true meaning and all but he had a great day. And it was a joy for our family to enjoy that with him. Simeon enjoyed playing with wrapping paper, bright colours and being around family all day.

It was also the first Christmas for a friend that I met just three days ago. Actually, it was his first Christmas as a believer in Jesus. I always enjoyed Christmas when we lived in Japan as we got to be part of many young Japanese people’s first Christmas after becoming a friend of Jesus. It’s like the lights are truly on – not just in the shops.

My new friend has had a rough couple of weeks with some tricky stuff happening in his family, but somehow God has used this season of his life to find him. This man who had never been to church just felt to start praying and asking God for help. On Thursday he visited an outreach of the church to ask someone to pray with him. That night he met with myself and another friend and we were all very encouraged.

It was such a blessing to me to spend time with him and take him to church for his very first time for a Christmas morning service. Sitting next to him and kind of experiencing it alongside him was a real joy for me, like hearing it afresh made the message of Christmas so alive. Knowing his story has reminded me again just what lengths God will take to make Himself known to someone with an open heart.

My friend has come to realise personally that God is with him. Jesus was born in flesh like ours. It was the real first Christmas. Jesus was called, ‘Emmanuel’ which means, ‘God is with us’.

That’s something to be joyful about.