Christmas is here

I love Christmas, even though I tend to be slightly depressed this time of year.  That has to do with the fact that I wish I could buy gifts for pretty much everyone, including people I don't know.  However, the best gift anyone can get at Christmas isn't found in a store.  Unfortunately, in our world the idea of Christ as our perfect gift almost sounds cliche at this point of time.  So, how can we look at this and see how amazing this gift really is and what it is we are celebrating during this season.
The truth is that we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and King, Jesus.  He is no longer an infant, He is King, Savior and Lord.  During this time we celebrate how He came to this world in the most vulnerable of ways, a human child that is totally dependent on the parents to feed and clothe him.  However, it was not this child that saved us from ourselves, defeating death and paying the price of sin on a cross, it was the man that He grew into being.
God had prepared the world for Christ.  If you look at how history played out, the dispersion of Israel had spread God's people around the known earth.  A young man of God would rise to a place of importance with the Babylonians and later the Persians due to his faith in God.  Daniel's visions would have continued to be taught and studied, leading to the magi who recognized the signs in the night sky that announced the birth of the Messiah.
Alexander the Great would conquer the Persians and spread the Greek language throughout the known world so that people would have a common tongue.  The Romans would conquer Greece then keep the common tongue, but would build roads so travel was easier and news could be spread easier.  It would be at this point when Christ came. 
Christ's birth, life and death were planned from before the creation of the world.  He has always been a part of God's perfect plan.  God prepared and moved throughout history to give us the greatest gift we could ever have or receive, Jesus.  God did this for us, Christ died for everyone, not just a chosen few.  His shed blood covered for all who came before Him who faithfully believed in God's promises and for us who live in His new covenant.
Let us remember that Christ is our perfect gift, and He is anything but a cliche.  So, if you, like me, have difficulties during this time of year, focus your heart on the one who came as a child.  Grew into a man, then gave His life freely so that we may spend eternity with Him.
Merry Christmas Everyone.