An invitation to sit at the foot of the Cross
Close your eyes and experience the weight and wonder of His presence. Let yourself linger there for a moment. Feel the stillness. Feel the holiness. Imagine, if you can, the tiny newborn hands that would one day stretch wide upon a wooden cross, the infant’s cry that would one day become “It is finished.”
I confess, Christmas is NOT my favorite time of the year. Perhaps it is the pace of daily life as it increases during this season, we hurry and risk missing the bigger picture. Maybe it’s the commercialism of gift giving rather than focusing on the ultimate gift – The Savior of humanity. I think of the three wisemen who wanted nothing more than to behold and honor the Messiah, bringing gifts for Him. I imagine, given their mode of transportation, their pace was unhurried and their thoughts centered on what His birth meant.
Recalling the story, as the wisemen traveled, angels appeared to the shepherds living out in the fields nearby, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified, but the angels said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause GREAT JOY for all people “. Luke 2:10 (emphasis added)
Most of us reading this know the rest of the story. Jesus grew into a man and lived a sinless life despite walking with sinners. He was hung on a cross, whipped, tortured, and beaten. Stripped of earthly dignity, he died an unglorified death that was written about centuries before.
You may think I’ve mistakenly veered off the Christmas path and onto the Easter story, but it is with intention. I simply cannot celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior without acknowledging the life he lived and the death he suffered for each of us. Hence, my invitation to sit at the foot of the cross this blessed season.
Late into the evening when darkness closes in (5:30pm-ha!), sit quietly with the Lord, sipping something warm and gaze into the twinkling lights of the tree. Contemplate the story of a God who loves us so very much that He would send His Son into the battlefield of humanity. A God who allows both JOY and SUFFERING for His GLORY so that we one day will be with Him for eternity. Allow Christmas to become more than a season. Allow it to become the love story that it is. The manger only makes sense because of the cross.
Let the joy and the sorrow, the hope and the heaviness, intertwine as they were always meant to. For it is in this sacred tension that we remember who He is and why He came.
May you find Him nearer than you imagined in this blessed season.
Currently reading & listening.
“Rediscovering Christmas” by AJ Sherrill offers a fresh and thoughtful retelling of the Christmas story — drawing from the Gospels, the book illuminates the characters and cultural context of the first Christmas in ways that often get lost in familiar narratives. It’s structured around two parts: Advent, which reveals the deep purpose of waiting, and Christmas, which celebrates the joy of receiving. Through rich reflections, devotional practices, and vivid storytelling, Sherrill invites readers to slow down, renew their hearts, rekindle awe, and encounter the wonder of Christmas with fresh eyes. Ultimately, the book becomes an invitation to transform the holiday season into a meaningful time of spiritual renewal and rediscovery.
Scripture to Meditate On
“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11
Blessings,
Kaleb Perdew
