It can be difficult to find Christmas movies that are actually about why we celebrate the season, so in this series we are going to encourage you to find Jesus and perhaps some Biblical Truth that might be hidden in commercial Christmas films. If your family is anything like mine, you’ve got a few movies you watch without fail this time of year. We kicked off our Christmas movie-watching with the 1996 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, Jingle All The Way.* Like most Christmas movies, it’s focused on a worldly view of Christmas with the plot centering around a father who works too hard and has neglected to get his son the one Christmas present he really wants, so he must try to find the hottest toy of the year on Christmas Eve. The true meaning of Christmas is nowhere to be found, but there is a moment in the movie that struck me this year.

Toward the climax of the film, Howard (Schwarzenegger) ends up getting dressed up as Turbo Man, the superhero upon which the toy is based, and he is placed in the Christmas Eve parade. He is given the toy he’s been looking for the entire movie and told to choose a kid in the crowd to come up and receive the toy. He looks for a moment and finds his son in the crowd and points to him. It’s unclear to the kids who he is pointing to until a sound person turns up the microphone on the suit and all the children hear Turbo Man say the boy’s name: “Jamie!” The child is struck and says in awe, “He knows my name.” I was struck at how awesome it will be to hear Jesus speak my name. It was life-changing to hear Jesus call me in my heart and in my head, but it will be something else entirely to audibly hear His voice say my name.

“But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, ‘Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:1-2)

“‘And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.’” (Luke 12:7)

God has called us by name. He knows the innermost workings of our bodies and each of our hairs is numbered. He loves us so much that He left Heaven to come down to earth, not as a conquering king, but as a humble servant to pay the price for our sins that we may choose this payment so that we can be with Him in Heaven. Don't let the commercialism of the season, the rising inflation, empty store shelves or even worldly Christmas movies pull your attention away from the true meaning of the season. Use any moment you can to point your family and those around you to Christ, especially during this Christmas season.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

*This post is in no way an endorsement for this movie. It contains a few instances of language; please check the content of all movies before deciding whether or not to watch them.