For Your Consideration
by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
8
Christmas is not just a holiday like other holidays. It’ s not a spring Sunday set aside to honor one of our parents. It’ s not a summer celebration of national pride and patriotism. It’ s not even a fall gathering of family and friends with ample servings of thanksgiving on the menu— though I really do love that holiday, and I hope yours was truly special and worshipful this year.
Christmas, though, is different. Christmas is meant to remind us that Christianity, while technically classified as one of the world’ s major religions, is not at heart a religion at all. It is a relationship that focuses on a Person. It is not just a means of practicing our faith. It is Christ in me. It is Christ in you. That is Christianity.
And that is Christmas.
It is Jesus – the center, the core, the essence of our lives. And we must not allow the“ holiday” to distract us from this great truth or cause us to lose our focus on who He is.
I believe that’ s why you’ re here. It’ s why I’ m here too. Together we’ re admitting what the holiday aspect of Christmas is capable of doing to us.
We get busy. Our lists overtake us.
Our memories, whether good or bad or a casserole mixture of the two, create an undertow that can easily engulf us in Christmas culture rather than helping us consider Jesus.
So hear that word again today.“ Consider him.”
Interestingly, the“ consider him” of Hebrews 12 is a slightly different original word than the“ consider Jesus” of Hebrews 3:1. That earlier mention is an encouragement to stop, as in a moment of temptation, and think of Him.“ For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted”( Heb. 2:18). Hebrews 3:1 urges us to think about that fact when we are tempted.
But the“ consider him” in Hebrews 12:3 comes in the context of running the“ race that is set before us”( 12:1). It is an appeal to think repeatedly of Him— over and over again— as we move forward in our lives, knowing we’ ll never have the endurance to finish the“ race” if we let our attention drift elsewhere.
Our only hope for making it through Christmas and( more importantly) through life is to look to Jesus,“ the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”( v. 2). To look and look and keep on looking. To never look anywhere else.
Perhaps already, this far out from Christmas Day, you can feel yourself growing a bit“ weary or fainthearted” from the demands you’ ve come to expect this time of year.
If that is true for you, let me give you something to consider today and each day of this season— again and again, over and over.
Consider Jesus.
Prayer Lord, fully capture my attention this Christmas. Help me savor You and stay enthralled with You above every activity and event and highlight of this season. Thank You for bringing Your presence so close. May I never tire of looking for You and longing for You— repeatedly, unceasingly. Today and forever.
Excerpt from Consider Jesus by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth(© 2026). Published by Moody Publishers. Used by permission.
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