Years ago at Christmastime, a schoolteacher in England oversaw the construction of a manger scene in a corner of her classroom. The students were so excited and delighted to set up the stable and cover the floor with real straw. Then they arranged the figures of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men, and the animals–all facing a little crib in which a tiny doll represented the infant Jesus.

One little boy named Phillip spent the entire day engrossed with the scene. He didn’t pay attention to a single word the teacher said. As she was teaching her math lesson, she noticed the preoccupied boy with a puzzled look on his face. She finally asked him, “Phillip, do you have a question?”

With his eyes still glued to the manger scene, the boy said slowly, “Well, yes. Where does God fit in?”

That’s a question a lot of people are asking this Christmas. In the midst of commercialism, secularism, and all the complications the holidays bring, where does God fit in?

The truth is, keeping God in our Christmas celebrations is up to us. You can have a joyous holiday season, but if you leave God out, you miss the entire point!

So keep God in your Christmas celebrations. Invite him to sit at your table, to be with you as you gather with friends and family, and to remind you in your personal time that He is the reason for the season!

Prayer Challenge:
Pray that God would be ever present in your Christmas celebrations this year!

Questions for Thought:
Why do you think the Christmas holiday is very often separated from God?

What are some tangible steps you can take to keep God in your Christmas celebrations?