Before the manger
Every December, it feels like the same scene is playing on repeat.
Nativity sets on mantels.
Inflatable baby Jesus in the neighbor’s yard.
Angels, shepherds, wise men, a glowing manger at the center of it all.
I love all of that. But if we only start the Christmas story in Bethlehem, we actually start in the middle.
Because the story of Christmas didn’t begin with a baby in a manger.
It began the moment brokenness entered the world.
And honestly? That makes Christmas feel a whole lot more relevant to the mess we’re living in right now.
When You Realize Not Everything Can Be Fixed
When I was a kid, I was convinced my granddaddy could fix anything.
Broken toy? Granddaddy could fix it.
Bike chain? Granddaddy could fix it.
Lamp, I definitely broke playing soccer in the house? Granddaddy could fix it.
Back then, “broken” usually meant something you could glue, tape, or tighten back together.
But as we get older, brokenness starts looking like things a YouTube tutorial can’t fix:
The friendship that never really recovers.
The diagnosis that changes your family.
The marriage, job, or dream that doesn’t go the way you thought it would.
The inner critic that will not let you forget what you did or what was done to you.
Some things in our lives feel so fractured that “fixing it” doesn’t even feel like an option anymore. It feels more like a before-and-after line you can’t ever cross back over.
That ache is exactly why Christmas matters.
The First Broken Heart in the Story
Way back in Genesis, before there were Christmas trees and carols and Amazon delivery drivers sprinting to porches, there was a garden.
Adam and Eve lived in perfect relationship with God—nothing between them. No shame. No fear. No, “I wonder what they really meant by that text?”
Then sin entered the story.
At its core, sin is deciding, “I’ll meet my needs on my own, without God.”
And the fallout is always the same: sin hurts relationships.
It damages our relationship with God.
It damages our relationships with other people.
It even damages how we see ourselves.
Right after Adam and Eve disobey, the very first thing they feel is shame.
Not just “I did something wrong,” but “I am wrong. I’m not enough. I’m exposed. I need to hide.”
Maybe that sounds a little familiar.
But even in that moment of rebellion and hiding, God doesn’t say, “I’m done. Good luck out there.”
Instead, He moves toward them.
God makes the first sacrifice—He clothes them, covers their shame, and begins a plan that would eventually lead all the way to Bethlehem.
A Plan in Motion Long Before Bethlehem
From that first moment of brokenness, God began preparing the world for Jesus.
We see it throughout the Old Testament in promises and prophecies. Two of them show us the heart behind Christmas so clearly:
Isaiah 9:6–7 speaks of a child who will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. It ends with this line:
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen.
Jeremiah 23:5–6 speaks of a righteous King from David’s line and says His name will be:
The Lord is our righteousness.
Those aren’t just pretty lines for Christmas cards.
They’re God’s way of saying:
“I see the brokenness. I see what sin has done. And I am passionately committed to making this right.”
Which brings us to one of my favorite verses to sit with at Christmas:
John 1:14
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…”
The God who spoke the world into being didn’t stay distant from our pain.
He put on skin.
He moved into the neighborhood.
He stepped right into the middle of our broken story.
Christmas Is God Saying, “I’m Not Done With You”
If sin breaks relationship, Jesus restores it.
All the way back in the garden, God sacrificed an animal to cover Adam and Eve.
Centuries later, Jesus—fully God and fully human—came as the final sacrifice to completely deal with sin and shame.
He doesn’t just cover what you’ve done; He gives you His righteousness.
He doesn’t just patch you up; He brings you back into relationship with God.
So when we say “Merry Christmas,” we’re not just celebrating a sweet baby.
We’re celebrating the God who refused to give up on His people.
The God who refuses to give up on you.
Your story may feel broken.
It may feel like you’ve gone too far, messed up too much, or missed too many chances.
But the Christmas story reminds us:
The story wasn’t finished yet.
And yours isn’t either.
What If God Is Preparing You Right Now?
I believe God is still a God of preparation.
He was preparing the world for Jesus then…
and He’s preparing you for something now.
Not in a pressure-filled, “You better figure it out” kind of way.
But in a steady, faithful, “I’m with you in this” kind of way.
So, as you walk into this Christmas season, maybe ask:
Where do I feel most broken or alone right now?
What if this isn’t evidence that God has abandoned me, but the very place He wants to meet me?
What if this season is preparing me for something I can’t fully see yet?
You don’t have to force big answers.
You don’t have to tie a bow on your pain and make it “Pinterest Christian” pretty.
You just get to bring your authentic self to a real Savior who stepped into a real, broken world.
A Simple Prayer for This Christmas
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a simple prayer you can make your own:
Jesus, thank You for stepping into a broken world—and into my broken places.
Thank You that You are still passionately committed to me.
Help me see where You are at work in this season.
Remind me that my story isn’t finished yet,
and that You keep Your promises, even when I can’t see how.
Amen.
If this meets you where you are, the podcast episode that goes with it walks through the bigger picture of the Christmas story—from the garden to the manger—and why it matters for whatever you’re facing today.
And if you need some quick, bite-sized encouragement this month, I’ll be sharing short daily devotionals over on social as we move toward Christmas. I’d love to walk this season with you.
