Before Baby Jesus

I was just thinking about what Christmas pageants today would be like without the baby Jesus. Now that would be a little weird. Christmas and the baby Jesus kind of go together, don't they? There was a time though when nobody knew about the baby Jesus. All anyone knew was that God had promised a Messiah to come. What would it be like if you knew you needed a Messiah, He hadn't come yet and you had no idea when He would finally get here? I imagine many people prior to the first Christmas morning longed for their Messiah in a way we've lost track of today. Today we have Christmas every year. We send Christmas cards every year. We sing the same carols every year. We get the tree, hang the stockings, maybe even read the Christmas story every year. But where's that longing? The repetition is fun and it's tradition, but is it necessary? Do we need Christmas to come? Do we long for it and for our Messiah like we were waiting for the first Christmas morning ever? Well I think we need to. At least, we need to again. May the baby Jesus be born again in our hearts this Christmas. Let's long for God. Let's groan for the Messiah who saves us. Let's need Him again, and let's say new prayers that our loved ones and friends will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes...like it was the first time.