His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT).

Christmas is about family. The reason why we’re alive, the reason why we’re breathing, the reason why our hearts are beating is because God wanted a family. You are not an accident. It doesn’t matter whether your parents planned you or not, what matters is that God planned you. There are no accidental babies. You were born because God made you to love you. He created you so He could love you and bring you into His family. And He wants to bring you into His family because He wants a relationship with you. This is what Christmas is all about. It’s about God doing everything possible to connect with us. It’s about God wanting you to know He loves you and wants a relationship with you.

Now you can miss the whole point of Christmas if you don’t know it’s about God wanting a family.

Thirty years ago I met a smashing woman named Karen Terhoven. We got to know each other and we fell in love. But getting to know each other and falling in love wasn’t enough. We needed a permanent relationship. On the 26^th March 1983 I stood in front of a packed church and said two words that changed everything – “I do.” “I do,” has bound Karen and me together in a permanent relationship.

Have you ever said “I do” to Jesus Christ? Jesus came to earth for a relationship. He didn’t come to found a religion. He didn’t come to formulate rules and rituals for us to live by. He came for a relationship. So the question is, have you ever said, “I do,” to Jesus? Have you ever said, “I want to be part of God’s family”? Have you ever said, “I need Christ’s forgiveness … I want to learn to love and trust Him … I want to live out the rest of my life for His purposes”?

If you’ve never said “I do,” I hope you’ll say it today. Christmas is about being part of God’s family and it begins by saying to Jesus, “I do.” You’re not here by accident. God wanted you here because He wanted you to know how much He loves you and how much He wants you in His family. Yes, God’s seen every tear, every hurt, and every heartache – He’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly – and He still loves you and wants you in His family. You are the reason for the season. Jesus wants a relationship with you. He wants you to say, “I do.”