This phrase bounces around the Christian culture this time of year. It’s the question nearly every Christmas movie silently asks as it depicts the main character focusing for the entirety of the movie on something other than what truly matters—missing the joy of Christmas until the last 15 minutes. The answer to this Christmas struggle varies in each movie, but we know the answer point blank: Jesus. And yet, perhaps this answer oversimplifies the most beautiful story ever born. He’s the reason we celebrate the season—because He loved us enough to come. But this still begs the question: why did we need him to come? What was the original reason for the season?

The answer is not found in Luke 2, though the beautiful display of God’s love culminates there in those passages, but in order for that baby lying in a manger to hold the power that indeed holds, we have to recognize and understand the before. If this was a movie, we’d have to flashback to the beginning. Yes, the very beginning.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were created through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”

(John 1:1-3, ESV)

This Word that was there, existing and needing nothing, this Word in which everything that was ever made was created through, this is Jesus. Sometimes we picture him as entering the scene for the very first time in that manger, but that’s not the case, and it truly does change the story. A baby has no control over when he is born or where he is born, but the God of the universe that created that universe and has been rejected and betrayed by those in that universe over and over still to this day? He has every choice, power, and right to not show up. Yet, we know He did.

You know those shows or books when you find out that all along this person truly had this other identity or motive? When you find out, every scene that’s happened before it shifts on its axis. I have to immediately go back and watch or re-read with the knowledge, because now I’m in on the secret. Now, I can go back and look at it with different eyes and read it with the secret identity’s point of view. Everything they did, walked through, heard, sacrificed, for the sake of all leading up to this moment. This story incites that same excitement for me. Jesus was there in the beginning all along—and we have to run back and read it with that in the forefront of our minds.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

(Genesis 1:1-2, ESV)

He was there. Amidst the unformed chaos of what could be. In that moment with darkness and potential mingling together—the potential only existing because He did. So it began. As God began to create, He spoke each creature and creation into existence. As He spoke, the Word was there—and each thing was created through Him. Man, I wish I could know the emotions and the feeling as they created. It’s something I want to ask one day. What was it like?? They move through the days creating light, land, structure, stars, order, gravity, birds, fish, animals of all kinds. It was beauty formed and life given, and we see the heart of the Father in it. Jordan Raynor once said that before we learn anything else about God, “the first thing God shows us is that He is creative.”

And then the sixth day comes—the day of man.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heaven and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

(Genesis 1:26-27; ESV)

After this, the Lord blesses them, and then He ends the day calling it very good. Jesus was there, creating, blessing, and loving. He was there calling mankind very good. And we know what’s coming—sin enters the world at our choice, we reach outside of his presence and good limit. Consequences unfold, the biggest being the separation that now stains the once perfect communion we had with the God of the garden who walked and talked with His people. And I always say that as a young person, I pictured the scene of this playing out a little differently than it actually did. I pictured God giving each their consequence and then pointing them towards the door of the garden He’d created for them, since they were no longer fit to dwell there. That was not the reason though.

“Then the Lord said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—’ therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22-24; ESV)

The tree of life was fine and permissible before the fall of man. It gave eternal life, but only just. Once sin had entered the story, it would still offer eternal life, but it never offered any justification for sins. It would be living forever just as they were. This was fine before, but now they needed a Savior to cover their sins first. He forced them out not as punishment, but as protection. He removed them so He could bring us something better.

God holds all knowledge which includes foreknowledge. So, though he cannot be surprised by what happened, while He knew in the beginning what would be necessary, I believe it is with this very act that the greatest story ever born was set into motion. Now, eternal life must come in a different form—yes with the component to never die, but now with redemption and grace enough to cover all of our sins. It must bring wholeness without blemish so we could once again walk and talk in communion with God. I think in that moment, heaven begins to prepare for the unimaginable. It brings me chills to think about. In just the right time, the Creator will have to become creation.

We celebrate this season with gifts, and though we say things like, “it’s the thought that counts,” it’s really not, is it? Because if I receive a nice gift from a billionaire, it’s nice. It really is— I’d appreciate it. But there’s something to be said about a friend or family member saving up to buy me that same gift. While I don’t require that, we have to admit, it is more moving because it required sacrifice. And sacrifice speaks love, because they had to give up something in order to gift to me. What could God, the all-powerful Creator of the world, whose economy lacks no thing and whose government controls the changing of the seasons and the principles of physics? What could He possibly sacrifice to show love when it costs Him nothing to create the world in 6 days? Himself. He chose to give Himself to cover the debts we could never cover and to redeem a world that rejected Him beginning with that one fruit and many times over since.

He truly did not have to, and yet he did. So, when I read the Christmas story, and I realize the sacrifice He made to even come, I recognize the significance and the awe of that one night in Bethlehem. He came to us since we could no longer fully reach Him. His death was coming, but His birth was His promise of what was to come.

With that in mind, read these words that the angels spoke to the shepherds that very night. It wasn’t flippant. It isn’t cliché. They were there at the fall, they were there guarding the door, and they’ve seen all the waiting and preparation from heaven as earth awaited its king for hundreds of years. The moment is finally here—He has come. And while the world does not yet know what He knows, it will never be the same.

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.’”

(Luke 2:10-14; ESV)

This is the season we celebrate God of creation giving the most priceless gift He could ever give to the greatest need we could ever have. Jesus is the reason we celebrate this season, but the reason He came was because you needed Him to. And He loved you enough to do that.

Merry Christmas, friend. Jesus loves you, truly more than you could ever imagine—sit in awe of Him today.

Hallie Dye is a wife of twelve years and a mom to three kids in North Louisiana. She is host of the Saltworks Podcast which is committed to sharing everyday people’s incredible stories of faith one Tuesday at a time. As a small group teacher, writer, and soon-to-be author, Hallie is passionate about encouraging people in the church to walk in obedience and live boldly for Christ in their corners of the world no matter their situation, occupation, background, or life stage. When she isn’t studying or writing, you can find her spending time with family and friends or reading fiction before bed.