This time of year we should think back on the birth of Jesus in the town Bethlehem, the excitement of the shepherds, and Mary's joy in having found God's favor. But when we do so, let us not forget the events of the Garden and God's first promise of a Christmas Day.

Christmas is rightfully the most beautiful of holidays. Old friendships are renewed and multiple generations unite to celebrate the season. The star of giving outshines that of receiving as we study the expressions of loved ones opening their multicolored packages. Church pews are packed as Christians remember the birth of their Savior and God's promises to us.

When asked about the first promise of Christmas, many Christians will point to the angel's visit to Mary as chronicled in first chapter of Luke's Gospel: "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you to give him the name Jesus." (Luke 1:31) Others think of the shepherds tending their flocks and their receipt of the good news from a multitude of the heavenly host. (Luke 2:13) Still others turn back to the prophet Isaiah and his description of the Servant who would be "pierced for our transgressions" and "crushed for our iniquities." (Isaiah 53:5) "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." (Isaiah 42:3).

Of course, the first promise of Christmas is of antediluvian origins. We must go back to the Garden of Eden where man enjoyed the presence of God and the bounty of His creation. This blissful state proved temporary. Beguiled by a fallen angel, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in a foolish attempt to become gods themselves. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4)

Though God was angered by man's breaking of this first covenant, he nonetheless immediately promised redemption. Before Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden, God turned to the serpent and vowed to "put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal." (Genesis 3:15) Even as man had just disobeyed his Creator, God unveiled a plan to bring salvation to the world. Most of us, when faced with someone else's betrayal or broken promise, do not contemplate what we can do to repair the damage. Instead, we react with anger towards that person as thoughts of revenge permeate our mind.
Not God. His reaction toward man was love. Though angry, he promised us a deliverance from the fine mess we had made. True to his word, God sent the Bruised Reed into the world to suffer a cruel death and to atone for our myriad sins.

While this gift of Christ was more than we ever could have asked, God did not stop with sending Christ to us and resurrecting him from the dead. God knew that in our fallen state we were unable ourselves to right the ship by having faith in his Son. Thus, not only did he send a Savior to die on the cross for our sins, but God also "made his light shine in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6)
God provides both the atoning sacrifice for our iniquities and the strength to accept his grace towards us. Augustine of Hippo best expresses this understanding of grace: "If those things delight which serve our advancement towards God, that is due not to our own whim or industry or meritorious works, but to the inspiration of God and to the grace which he bestows."

This time of year we should think back on the birth of Jesus in the town Bethlehem, the excitement of the shepherds, and Mary's joy in having found God's favor. But when we do so, let us not forget the events of the Garden and God's first promise of a Christmas Day. Knowing that the Father planned our redemption at the dawn of creation makes Christmas so much the sweeter.