But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior. (Titus 3:4-6)

Have you ever wished for a reset? Just rewind to some point in time, then begin again? My wife and I recently attended opening night of a live show. The riveting plot, musical numbers, and choreography kept us glued to our seats. But about 30 seconds into a climactic scene, just 10-15 minutes before the conclusion, the stage darkened and a message flashed to stand by. The crew hit a technical snag and tried multiple times to restart the scene. The audience waited patiently for 40 minutes and was finally rewarded with a smooth and satisfying conclusion to the story.

Redos in theater are possible because the stage is just a simulation. Reality is not always so kind. But the Christmas season is when we celebrate a restart like no other. This past week, we observed the monumental event of God granting mankind a new beginning. He could have left us to wallow in sin and rebellion on a downward spiral toward self-destruction and the darkness of hell. But He chose to send His only begotten Son to live amongst humans and even suffer the penalty of sin in our place. Being granted the opportunity through His incarnation to be reborn and enjoy Him eternally is worthy of commemorating.

In the words of Charles Wesley:
Mild He lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give us second birth

May the True Light of Christmas continue to shine brightly in your heart and home, in 2025 and all year round!