How Many Days Till Christmas?

�Mommy, I can�t wait until Christmas!� Claire squealed as she did a cartwheel.

�I know, Claire,� Mommy said. �You only have to wait a few more days.�

�How many days till Christmas?� Claire�s little brother, Camden, asked.

Mommy laughed. �Only five more! While we wait let�s talk about why we have Christmas.�

�Oh, I know,� Claire said quickly. �That�s when Jesus was born!�

�That�s right!� Mommy answered. �Christmas should remind us of God�s gift to all the world�his Son Jesus. God said that when Jesus grew up he would �save his people from their sins�� (Matthew 1:21).

�What does that mean, Mommy?� Camden wondered.

�Sins are the wrong things that we say and do. Things like disobeying your daddy and me, fighting with each other, or telling lies. The Bible, God�s special book, says that �all have sinned� (Romans 3:23)�children and adults too.

�When you do something wrong at home or school, you know you�re in trouble when you get caught. God knows all about us and knows every time we sin. And our sins get us into trouble with God! That�s why he sent Jesus to be born here on earth.

Jesus never sinned, and when he became a grown man, he chose to be punished for our sins, so we wouldn�t have to be. He died on the cross to save us from our sins, just like the Bible says. Then Jesus came back to life.�

�Jesus must really love us to die for us!� Claire exclaimed.

�That�s right,� Mommy replied. �He did it so we can have a very special gift. The Bible says �the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord� (Romans 6:23). Eternal life means living with Jesus and God in heaven forever and ever!�

�How can we get the gift, Mommy?� Claire asked.

�The Bible says that �God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life� (John 3:16). If you believe with all your heart God sent Jesus to die for you and that you want Jesus to forgive your sins, you can tell God with a prayer like this:

Dear God, I believe that Jesus died because of my sins. I am trusting you to forgive my sins. I want to live in heaven with you forever. Thank you!�

Just like Claire and Camden, you can have your sins forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life. Christmas may be days away, but you can have God�s greatest gift right now!

� 2002 - 2006 Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
Translated by permission of Good News Publishers
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
U.S.A.