Two sets of toes were poking out from under the newly lit Christmas tree. The kids were laying on their backs looking up into the lights. I heard the two year old sigh in amazement, “wow!” The 5 year old began to sing a made-up Christmas song. They were taking in the wonder of twinkling lights and sparkling ornaments. The ordinary tree had been transformed into something special.

They say that Christmas is the season of giving, a time for peace and love, and a time for family, traditions, and memories. People also talk about what they wish Christmas wasn’t: a season of materialism, obligatory social events, and oh so much to do.

If we are feeling ambitious, we may find ways to focus Christmas in a better direction. We may be able to teach our kids about giving with Angel Trees or Operation Christmas Child boxes. We may be able to teach our kids about Jesus’ birth with advent readings, Bethlehem walk-throughs, and candlelight services. All of which are good, but those little toes and “wows” remind us of an even deeper reason for Christmas.

Christmas teaches our hearts to anticipate the wonder of God With Us…Immanuel.

Think about that for a moment…GOD with us. The infinite, omnipotent, righteous one with the finite, weak, sinful ones. And not only did Jesus come to be with us but to give us the gift of His righteousness, to make sinners at peace with God.

Everything we do in December points us toward the day when God came to be with us, wrapped in swaddling cloth and lying in a manger.  All month long we tear off rings from a paper chain, we hang sparkling lights, we bake cookies in festive shapes, we wrap packages with ribbon, and we sing familiar songs. Everything we do creates a sense that an otherwise ordinary day is special, important, and worth our anticipation.

December reminds us that the wonder of God With Us is worth waiting for with anticipation. Throughout the year, we are to live in a perpetual December of anticipation because the wonder of God With Us is coming again. And as we wait, our ordinary lives have been transformed by Jesus into something special. We are to wrap ourselves in the twinkling lights of His character and cause others to look up at heaven and say “wow”.

This year, teach kids to give, teach them about Jesus’ birth, but also cultivate anticipation and wonder. Cultivate hearts that are waiting for Immanuel to come again. 

We are loving this song about Immanuel called, Ring the Bells, by Big Daddy Weave and Meredith Andrews. Listen and download Here (Affiliate link):  http://amzn.to/2ihwXYa

Teach your kids the character of God with The Attributes of God for Kids. This bright, engaging devotional or curriculum resource is for kids ages 4-11.