When Baby Jesus Goes Missing and The Secret to Finding Him This Christmas
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Over at Encouragement for Today I’m sharing a simple truth I learned from a wise five-year-old boy and a brand new baby many Christmases ago. I hope you’ll stop by P31 Ministries and check it out. But before you go, keep reading and I’ll let you in on a secret that might help you find the best gift of all this holiday season. (And I’ll also let you know how you can sign up for today’s give-away!)
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“Mommy! Mommy! Come quick! You won’t believe it…”
My daughter’s voice was a melody of snickers and squeals, and I abandoned the breakfast dishes to investigate the happy outburst.
I followed the sing-song sound to the living room. And there, I found my preschoolers kneeling on the carpet beside the Christmas tree, their shoulders hunched together like partners in crime, heads bent low beneath a droopy evergreen bough.
My footsteps caused their heads to turn and my duo greeted me with a waterfall of words.
“Look at this, Mommy,” three-year-old Maggie said as she waved a clasped hand above her head like a flapping flag, “We found him! We finally found him!”
She leaped to her feet and cast me me a giddy grin.
I took a step toward my blue-eyed girl to see what was tucked within her grip.
She slowly unfurled her fingers, and I saw a splash of gold. A wisp of white.
And, suddenly, I recognized the object in my daughter’s hand.
It was the prized piece of the kids’ nativity set that had been missing for weeks.
Baby Jesus.
We’d had him when Advent began.
That pudgy plastic babe had been tucked snugly in his manger while we trimmed the tree and hung the stockings. He’d lingered in the stable while we’d baked cookies and stamped the Christmas cards.
And then one day we’d noticed that the star of the story had disappeared.
The Reason for the Season had gone AWOL.
We’d scoured the house in search of that vanishing baby.
We’d looked around the coffee table where the children’s nativity scene sat with a collection of plastic farm animals and a gaggle of colorful shepherds; a trio of gold-crowned wisemen and a happy haloed angel.
We’d hunted along the edges of the nearby book shelves and checked the stockings on the mantle. We’d searched around the table that held the advent candles and through the greenery that laced the stairwells. But, eventually, we’d abandoned the hunt for the missing baby Jesus. And my five-year-old had tucked the manger in the back of the barn where “nobody would notice it was empty.”
My resident drama queen had insisted that the starlet of Christmas had been kidnapped, but I’d harbored the sneaking suspicion that our missing manger-dweller had been carried away by little hands at play and mistakenly forgotten.
“I’m gonna put baby Jesus back where he belongs,” Joshua exclaimed as he grabbed the newly-found Savior out of his sister’s hands and excavated the miniature manger from the depths of the plastic stable.
Maggie quickly rounded up the shepherds and arranged them in a circle around that plastic Prince of Peace.
“How did you find him?” I asked, my eyes roaming to that painted bed of hay.
Joshua cast me a sheepish grin. “Well, we were trying to peek at the packages under the tree, and Maggie hunched down real low so she could get a closer look at that box with the big red bow…”
Josh dropped to his knees as he re-enacted his sister’s lowly slouch.
“And that’s when I saw him, Mommy,” Maggie interrupted.”He’s not really lost!
Joshua cocked his head and held my gaze with his glimmering green eyes. “Baby Jesus has been here all along! We just couldn’t see him ‘til we got on our knees.”
It’s been a few years since Jesus went missing right beneath our roof, but every holiday season when we pull out that plastic nativity set, I think about the little lesson I learned from a pair of preschoolers and a pudgy plastic baby.
Simply put—sometimes we need to stoop to see.
The world tantalizes this time of year with towering to-do’s and lofty ta-da’s, with gala and glitz and grandeur.
And yet the One whose birth we celebrate lays low in a manger, waiting for us to savor the gift of His humble presence.
Beckoning us to behold the glory of Heaven wrapped in wrinkled skin and helpless wails.
And sometimes when we set our feet the rhythm of the world’s subtle song, we get distracted by the trimmings and the trappings, the shopping and the shimmer.
And we miss the very best gift of all.
So let’s make a pact as this holiday season begins.
Let’s decide right now that we won’t lose sight of baby Jesus.
Let’s not be satisfied if our mangers (or our hearts) sit empty in the days to come.
Let’s slow our feet and still our souls.
Let’s carve out time for worship and with-ness, for prayer and praise.
Let’s slouch to find Heaven’s splendor and stoop to see Heaven’s King.
Because the wonder of Christmas is always within reach when we’re on our knees.
And that gift we’ve always wanted has been here all along.
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”).” -Matthew 1:23
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Today I’m giving away one of our family’s all time favorite Christmas books. This precious children’s book tells the story of Christ’s birth using Luke 2. But best of all, it brings the scripture to life with whimsical pictures that capture the joy and wonder of the nativity. My kids love curling up by the lights of the tree and reading this familiar story of the very first Christmas.
If you’d like to enter to win, just leave a comment and tell us what you love most about Christmas.
The lights and beautiful decorations remind me that there is a King who we celebrate on December 25 and through out the year. He is alive and reigning, and someday He will return. At that moment, every knee will bow and proclaim that Jesus is Lord. Loved the the story of Josh & Maggie.
I like how the Christmas season seems to soften people. At the store or in the office, there is a bit of excitement and festivity that makes folks more pleasant and helpful.
Last year, my poor little Mama got so stressed making everything “perfect” for our family (all of her “kids” are 40+ years old) that she spent a night in the hospital with chest pains. So I am praying that she will be infused with the Peace that only is given by Emmanuel, God with us, and that we all focus on Him and enjoy being together.
My favorite thing to do at Christmas is sit by the tree in the early morning or evening, enjoying the lights. Thank you for the reminder to rest and savor our Savior this month and not to be caught up in the hoopla of the season.
I love having family together gathered in our front room reading the Christmas Story in Luke chapter 2. We then all share what we are thankful for as being thankful should never be just for Thanskgiving but for every day of the year.
What a sweet reminder to remember to keep Jesus as the focal point for the season. God bless you and your ministry.
One of my favorite things about Christmas is when all of the family gets together at my parent’s house and before anyone opens presents, my daddy gathers everyone around and reads the Christmas story from the Bible. We reflect on the real reason we celebrate Christmas. I will always treasure this!
Today is my first time being on your page and I enjoyed it so much. What I like most about Christmas is the joy, the happiness, The peace, the unity. But most of all the love not of just one but all. I remember as a child not much money to by much. But that didn’t matter because we each draw names out of a bowl and there was seven of us. My mom was a single parent. we were given 5 dollars a peice and when we got that in our little hands it was like having the world. My mom would walk us down town which was 10 blocks. But it had every store on time. Jupiter,Mcclellans, Woolworth ,Macys Montgomrey Wards, Pelliters with the bigs Santa hanging in the middle of the street. And the money we had always enough. to by that hot dog and pop Yeah!. And it was so much fun because there was love through it all. But what I remembered most and even to this today that nothoin could take the place of the baby Jesus being born on this day. The excitement was in that that we sang “Away In The Manger”, Silent Night. Oh Little Town Of Bethlahem, Joy To The World the Lord has come. While looking at the silver tree with a colored wheel of green, red and orange bringing all the beauty. And hearing my mom sing and humming the hymans. All night devine. I always remind my grand children when they say you know why i love Christmas I listen and than I say Jesus made this day and the clelabration of His Birth Christ . And Now tfhey say without my help. And I would love to keep this going on through the generation by recieving your book. Wow I have great grands and more on the way. I know some of my words may be missed spelled but going by over my memorie i am so happy. May your day be blessed.
I love to sing worship songs at Christmas…they help you “stoop down” and see the reason we celebrate.
I am a single mom. So as soon as I get off of work, I rush home. Get the kids fed, try to straignten up the house and spend what time I can with them before they have to go to bed because every moment with them is precious but time flies. Since the Christmas tree has been put up, we turn the lights off in the evening and let it light up the house and I sit in my recliner with my two babies. It’s like it’s helped us slow down, just like you were talking about, and we have talked so much more about Jesus and we tie in how the tree lights up our house is how Jesus is to shine in our life. It’s brought a peace and calm to our evening routine. Now that my son is old enough to discuss these things, it’s become my favorite thing about Christmas. Sitting in the living room, cuddled with each other discussing Jesus while his little sister is on my other side cuddling and drinking her evening sippy cup (she’s only a year old.) Don’t get me wrong. I love shopping and watching people smile but these moments I’ve experienced this season will be ones I will be sure to make tradition and bottle these moments of open discussion about Jesus as much as possible.
That is a beautiful story, I love that. Yes this morning, it reminds me to get on my knees to pray. How I long to forget that sometimes, thank you for reminding me.
I love Christmas because it’s a time to focus on our Lord and a time for family. I am so blessed this year to have 9 grandchildren under the age of 11 with our newest on just 4 days old. I love reading to them and would love to share this book with them.
I love Christmas because it’s a time for everyone to come together and worship our Lord and Savior and celebrate His birth.
I love your story about the missing baby Jesus! My grandson is 2 1/2 years old and loves his nana to read to him and I would love to have this in his playroom for me to read to him and all other future grandchildren. Too many times with children, the focus is on Santa and being on the “nice” list, but this is how I want my grandchildrent to remember Christmas…..Happy Birthday Jesus!
Thank you for this devotional and the beautiful reminder to not forget Jesus (or loose Him) this season. I love the fact that everyone is singing and showing Jesus this time of year. Christmas Carols (that stores are playing!) sing all about Him…. Christmas ornaments remind us of Him (in their own way). Jesus is everywhere!
I like Christmas because it’s a time that we actually take the time as a family to all get together and take the time to focus on each other and the Lord. We don’t often get the one on one time that I enjoy so to be able to incorporate the Lord into that time is precious!
I enjoy reading Encouragement for today each morning, It a great way to start each day.
I love spending time with family and remembering why this season is so special! We read the Bible together, make cookies and decorate together! It is a fun time of togetherness with each other and our Saviour!
To me, Christmas is a time where I reflect on the past year, trying to only focus on the good. My favorite thing about Christmas is I am reminded of the hope I have in Jesus. I take this time to slow down, enjoy just being at home and be grateful for my many blessings.
I’m with Anne. I look forward to Christmas Eve service so much. It just makes me be still and prepare my heart.
I love that even though it is a face paced month filled with many activities, it is also a month where I can slow down and get back to the basics of why Jesus is in our life.
I love the Christmas Eve service at 11pm at my church. After all the busyness, I can be still and focus on the best gift I will ever receive. That service always leaves me in awe and wonder and overflowing with gratitude.
I love so much about the Christmas season. The anticipation, the joy, the traditions. This book sounds great!!
I would love to win this book so I could read it to my granddaughters! I so loved your story! It brought tears to my eyes thinking of the wonder of Christmas aND the joy seen through the eyes of little ones. My children had a nativity set when they were young that we would put out every year. My destination son would always ask for it every Christmas when we were getting everything out of the attic. He would always want to set it up I the living room. It wasnt spectacular or fancy but it was special to him. AND it was what Christmas was all about. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story!
Love love love this story. I am sharing it with my text devotional buddies… so approximately 80 people today will hear your precious words of how the lost was found!
As I take time to be still in my increasingly demanding management job, I have been blessed this morning to kneel to look for my Savior. My grandchildren far away, my 6 own children grown all but my 16-year old special needs daughter, who will always have that wonder for Christmas. Please know you have caused me to seek Him in this quiet moment.❤️
My favorite thing about Christmas is the wonder of it all! The wonder of the birth of our Savior and the sights & sounds of the season. I would love to share this book with my grandchildren.
I love that Christmas is a time that even with all the retail madness, people are more open to celebrating Jesus. I would love to share this book with my grandchildren.
I am a Children’s Ministry Assistant at my church, and I love reading to the children. They so enjoy a good story, and the questions they have about Jesus are just precious. I am so blessed to be a part of their lives.
I love watching my littles get so excited about baby Jesus! Going to the live nativity scene, reading a nightly Christmas story, and snuggling with my 3 angels God has blessed me with. I would love to have this story to go along with our nativity scene! Yours looks like it has more pieces. Is there two sets?
I love family always, but there’s something about Christmas and family that just goes together. Being close, experiencing the glory of God together, loving each other, it just feels right.
I enjoyed reading this story. I don’t get to see all of my grandchildren on a regular basis because of where they live but this story reminded me that I can see Jesus everyday. I can come closer to him by just going to my knees. I love Christmastime because it brings us all together and the to hear the laughter of little children just lightens my soul.
Blessings to you and your family.
What I love about Christmas is all the excitement of getting prepared for that day, and keeping that excitement throughout the year in hopes to see our Savior return. I would love to add this to my family’s collection and share with my third grade class as well.