Christmas is coming! Yes, we are officially in the season of Advent. That time when Christians look towards the coming of Jesus the Messiah; not just as a baby born in a stable at Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, but also looking ahead to His sudden return. However, some people seem a bit unsure about the date of Christmas this year. On 2nd December an Advent calendar sold by some of the UK’s major retailers mistakenly claimed that there were only 16 days to go! Christmas Day on 18th December, surely not!

Last year in the UK, the ‘Independent’ newspaper published an article about a study of 2,000 adults undertaken for the ‘History’ television channel. The study tested people’s knowledge of Christmas. The newspaper was shocked to find that, “One in five Brits do not know that Jesus was born on Christmas Day.” One thing that this online newspaper failed to realise was that Jesus was certainly not born on 25th December. Possible dates for His birth include: 6th January, 2nd April or sometime in the autumn/fall. The year of His birth is also uncertain. Most experts agree that it was sometime between 6-4 BC.

But maybe your interest isn’t in ‘dating’ Jesus, but in dating Jesus – not in the intricacies of an ancient calendar, but in drawing close to Him. We naturally long for love and acceptance; it’s at the very core of who we are. So how great it is to know that we are loved by our Creator, and that He longs for us to know Him. Hear these words from the ancient Scriptures speaking to your heart:

“Don’t be afraid for I am with you. … I have loved you with an everlasting love. … I am with you always.“

So, our Creator is willing, but are you? Listen to His invitation as He seeks entrance into your life:

“Look! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me.”
Revelation 3:20

This Christmas remember that the reason for our celebrations has nothing to do with Santa or Rudolph or anything that is make-believe, but it’s because our loving Creator was so passionate that we should know Him, that He came to this Earth in person 2,000 years ago, being born as a baby, to reveal Himself to us. So when you hear Him knocking at the door of your heart, don’t leave Him out in the cold; invite Him in!