December 2023

“Coming Home at Christmas”

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world … And everyone went to their own town to register.” Luke 2:1, 3  

Christmas begins with a journey home. 

You’ve probably already had the talk with your family about who’s hosting Christmas this year.

For some of us, this topic isn’t up for discussion. You already know who’s home you’ll be at, who’s making what dish and you divided and conquered the Christmas list for kids at the Thanksgiving table.  

AAA anticipates more than 112 million people will travel home this Christmas. Travel during the holidays can be rough but what we find when we come home can be the toughest thing we face this Christmas season.  

“Home” may have shifted for you this year. I know our table at Thanksgiving felt different with the passing of my grandpa this year & the absence of my grandma as she’s recovering from cancer surgery. It was good to be together but dang it was tough. 

For leaders, coming home isn’t always easy

We carry home our work, fears, failures, insecurities and frustrations. We can also come home to find incomplete projects and situations that remind us of what’s wrong. When we do this, we often find ourselves physically at home but not fully present.  We can become addicted to work because unlike our home, it feels like something we can control. You may not have verbalized it, but as leaders we know our leadership ultimately starts in our home. Which is why at Christmas, God chose to make His home with us.

At Christmas ‘Home’ comes to us.

Mary and Joseph experienced the hard road home to Bethlehem only to find one difficulty after another on their journey.  This is why Jesus is given the name Immanuel, “God with us.”  Because in our broken world, we’re all looking for “home.”  

Jesus made His home in Bethlehem, an

overlooked town. 

Jesus makes His home in us when we

least deserve it.   

Jesus will make His home here again at

His return. 

What do you need to come “home” to this Christmas? 

PEACE that surpasses all understanding.

HOPE that transcends all grief and regret.  
LOVE that conquers all sin. 

JOY that breaks through all barriers.

Advent is one of the titles for the Christmas season as a way to remember the arrival of our King. The four Sundays leading up to Christmas, Churches celebrate hope, love, joy, peace and then on Christmas Eve, the arrival home of our King with candlelight in our darkness. 

This past year I found myself coming home to Jesus in an unexpected way. 

In March, Ruthie and I had some time to process and listen to where the Lord is leading us. While I was sitting at a coffee shop reflecting and listening to the Lord, I realized that all 41 years of my life, either me or my dad have worked at a local Church. I found my soul in a scramble as God was moving me away from everything I’ve ever known.  And it was at that moment I clearly heard the Holy Spirit speak …

‘Nate, you’ve grown up in a ministry home but ministry is not your home. I’m your home.’ 

I was stunned and sat in silence for quite a while. In that moment, God was letting me know I could be home with Him in the midst of everything not feeling like home. 

All of my effort, energy, connections, strategies, ideation, woo, etc was not going to get me out of the season God had me in.  As much as we try to get ourselves out of these frustrating seasons, God kindly reminds us that our gifts are not enough, but He is. 

Where do you need to come home this Christmas? 

The world shuts down on Christmas because we know there’s something holy about being at home and that more important than our work is presence. 

May you find your home in Jesus this Christmas season because Home has come to us. 

Ready to turn your moment into movement?