I’ll keep this short. It is Christmas week, and if your calendar is like mine, it is full to overflowing!

Here’s the question: What difference does Christmas make?

The merchant will point to the spreadsheet and show how much their store depends on Christmas sales to provide adequate profit for his or her business.

To the restaurant owner, they will point to all the economic challenges that Covid has brought and say that the food service business during the holiday time is critical for their survival.

The student… they will comment on how much they need a break from their studies, and, often their semester finals.

But many would simply say…Christmas is a nice holiday. But if we didn’t have it, we would come up with something to take its place.

There is a phrase written by Ralph Sockman many years ago that has resonated with me.

“The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable.”

Oh, I know. Theologians might point out that Jesus was in a cave. There probably wasn’t a door, much less a hinge. Okay. But think what Sockman was saying. Jesus’ birth changed everything!

Sinful man had a path to be reconciled to a holy God…because of Jesus. The birth of Jesus fulfilled the prophesies made hundreds of years before…and thereby confirmed the faithfulness of God and the truth of His word.

More importantly for me…Christ’s birth…in that stable in Bethlehem…provided a way for ME to have my sins forgiven and for me to have the hope of heaven.

All that “hinged” on what happened over two thousand years ago in a stable in Bethlehem.

As you buy and give gifts, as you join family and friends around the table to fellowship and eat, as you take a break from the routine events of life…don’t forget that the greatest gift ever came from a loving heavenly Father…a gift that changes everything! Truly… God’s best…

Merry Christmas!