The Baby Jesus

When my youngest daughter was very small, she loved anything that was a "baby." The sight of a kitten or a puppy or a human baby filled her with overflowing delight and love "Aww," she's say, her face lighting up. "A baby!" She even loved those tiny mini-bagels, because they were "baby bagels," and she'd gently rock them back and forth in her cupped hand, thinking them too cute to eat.

When Christmas came, the first she could really remember, our church put a nearly life-size creche at the front of the sanctuary. My daughter was interested in it, but all through Advent, the manger was empty. Jesus would be there on Christmas Day, we promised her.

On Christmas Day, sure enough there lay the Baby, snugly tucked in His bed of hay. When the service was over, I was talking with friends when I realized my youngest had disappeared. We found her on her knees by the manger. She looked up at me, her face lit with reverence. "Jesus is a baby, Mommy!"

She'd heard about Jesus all her life - but for the first time, she had caught a glimpse of who He really is - the Son of God who had loved her enough to become little and helpless, just like her.


From Christmas at Home: Favorite Christmas Traditions written and compiled by Ellyn Sanna


This struck a chord with me. I have the blessed opportunity to teach our precious toddlers in Sunday school each week. We have been learning about the babies of the Bible; they don't seem that interested in learning about the grown up, just the babies. What fun we have had! Their looks of joy and wonder are priceless! We've been searching for Baby Jesus as we learn the story of Christmas. Do you know where Jesus is? Is He in your heart?