Most of us love the holidays. The lights, the music, the food, the laughter, and the time spent
with family make this season special. But if we’re honest, some of us don’t care too much for the
traveling. Traveling can be frustrating. Picture this: the kids are in the backseat, asking for the
hundredth time, “Are we there yet?” Your flight gets delayed. The airport is packed with people,
and instead of your GPS leading you to Memaw’s house, it takes you to the middle of nowhere.
Sometimes, traveling is far from fun.
But travel has always been a part of humanity. From the moment we took our first steps as a
species, we’ve been a people on the move. One of the most monumental journeys in human
history happened just 66 years after the invention of the airplane. The Apollo 11 mission carried
Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon, nearly 240,000 miles away. After
four days in space, Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the lunar surface, and on July 20, 1969,
Armstrong made history, stepping onto the moon and famously saying, “That’s one small step
for man, one giant leap for mankind.” The entire world watched that journey in awe.
Not all journeys are joyous, though. Some carry a weight of tragedy. In 1963, President John F.
Kennedy traveled to Dallas, Texas, and while riding in an open black Lincoln Continental, he
was assassinated. That journey changed the course of American history forever.
Even in the Bible, we see monumental journeys. Consider Israel’s journey, led by Moses, from
Egypt to the Promised Land. For 40 years, they wandered through the wilderness, experiencing
hardships and miracles alike.
But of all the journeys ever taken, the greatest journey in the history of the universe wasn’t to
the moon, or across a desert, or even to a new country. The greatest journey was the one from
heaven to earth. It was a journey that took the Son of God from the glory and perfection of
heaven to a humble stable in Bethlehem. This wasn’t even the only city named Bethlehem in
Israel—it was an unremarkable town in every sense. Yet, this was the destination for the most
remarkable traveler in all of history.
We often focus on the earthly version of the Christmas story: Mary, Joseph, the angels, and the
shepherds. These are beautiful, familiar images. But when we shift our perspective, we realize
that Christmas is not just about what happened on earth. It’s about what was happening from
God’s perspective. Heaven’s view of Christmas reveals the magnitude of what Jesus did. It
wasn’t just a birth—it was the most extraordinary journey ever taken.
As we think about this season, let’s remember that Christmas is more than just trees, gifts, and
traditions. It’s about the journey that changed everything. A journey from heaven to earth, from
eternity into time, and from the perfection of heaven to the brokenness of our world. And why?
Because God loves us. That’s a journey worth celebrating.