“Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word….”  ~ Frances J. Crosby

“Read it again!” Do you ever say that when someone finishes reading your favorite story to you? You don’t want it to end, so you say, “Read it again! Please? Pretty please?”

The Christmas story is like that. It’s not enough to hear the story of Jesus only on Christmas Day. Yes, it’s the day we celebrate the baby Jesus being born in a barn, but the story doesn’t end there. He grew up just like you’re growing up. He learned new things just like you’re learning new things. He was happy, he was sad, he did good things, he got in trouble—just like you! The story doesn’t end there, of course. He died, but then he came back to life again.  Jesus is the Christmas story, and he’s also the Easter story!

Jesus isn’t like a plastic angel on top of the decorated tree. When the Christmas season is over, we shouldn’t put him in a box in the basement with the other decorations. He isn’t like the Easter bunny, either. Jesus is REAL. We need to learn about his whole life. What did he do? Why did he do those things? We need to know that he died. If he’s God, how could he die? Why did he die? We need to know that he came back to life again. How is that possible? What does that mean?

As we get to know Jesus better, we grow to love him more and more. The Bible tells us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Since we can’t see Jesus, how do we do that? We can think about him every day. As the words at the top of this page say, we “write” his words in our heart. That means we believe and remember what the Bible says. Listen in church and Sunday school. Ask questions. Talk to God while you’re walking through the woods or riding your bike or coloring a picture.

Have a Merry Christmas! Have a Happy New Year filled with getting to know Jesus better!