Children are so precious with their innocents and their childlike understanding. A Christmas nativity devotional for young children can help them she and express their innocents, wonder, and excitement. I love seeing them share the Christmas story and sing the songs of Jesus’s birth with their cute little actions. Oh, to have that little mind that is so fresh and pure.
During the Christmas season children love to hear the story of Jesus’s birth. They can hear the same story many times over and still enjoy like it was a new story. I am always looking for new ways to tell the same story in the hopes that they grasp a bit more from the story and it is more meaningful to them.
When it’s Christmas time and we gather around the table to begin our holiday celebration a Nativity devotional of the story of Jeus’s birth is a great tradition. Often times devotionals are more intended for adults and the wording or meaning is too difficult for the littler children to grasp. While I think there is importance to devotionals for adults, I think it is equally important to have some that are simpler and designed for children too. Adults need to be dedicated and learn more to grow their faith, but I think children need more reinforcement to help their beliefs and faith to grow too. Children learn more when they get to be more involved and engaged to actively discuss the devotional.
I’ve broken the story of Jeus’s birth into 4 sections with bible scripture telling each section of the Christmas story. There is a simplified story of that scripture and then some engaging questions to ask your children. I would encourage you to read this with your little ones and ask the questions, get them thinking and wondering more about this very special story that the world celebrates.
You may want to purchase a Nativity story and read that to the children and ask questions getting them thinking about the birth of Jesus and what it was like for Mary and Joseph at that time.
1. An Angel Appears to Mary
Luke 1:30-31 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
An Angel named Gabriel visited a young woman named Mary. The angel Gabriel told Mary she will have a baby, a son, and she would name him Jesus. The baby, Jesus, will be God’s son.
How do you think Mary reacted when an angel appeared to her? Was she excited, scared? What did Mary think when the angel told her she would have a baby boy? Do you think she believed the angel? How do you think Mary felt when she was told her baby would be God’s son?
2. Mary & Joseph Travel to Bethlehem
Luke 2:4-7 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
A Roman emperor ordered a record be made of all people in their hometowns. Mary, riding on a donkey and Joseph leading the way, traveled for many days to Bethlehem. When they arrived, they were told there was no rooms available. There were no places for Mary and Jospeh to stay. All of the inns were full. An innkeeper told Mary and Jospeh they could stay in his stable. Mary and Jospeh found their way to the stable and made a place to lay down, to sleep, in the hay amongst the animals that lived in the stable. Baby Jesus was born in the stable and Mary and Joseph wrapped him in clothes and laid baby Jesus in a manger.
What do you think Mary and Joseph reactions were when they found out they had to travel many days on a donkey and by walking to Bethlehem? How did they feel when there was no place to stay? No beds for them? How do you think they felt about staying in a stable with animals and sleeping in hay? How would you feel about sleeping in hay and with animals? How do you think they felt having their newborn baby sleep in a manger?
3. Angels speak to the Shepheard’s
Luke 2:8-12 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Shepherds were out in the fields watching their flocks of sheep. And angel appeared to the shepherds and told them the good news of the Savior, the Messiah, Jesus, that they would find laying in a manger. The shepherds immediately left to go find the babe.
How do you think the shepherds felt when they saw the angel? Were they excited, scared? Describe what you think the shepherds saw when the angel appeared. How do you think it looked? How do you think the shepherd’s felt when they found the baby just like the angel had said?
4. The Star and the Wisemen
Matthew 2:9-11 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Three wise men, called magi, saw a bright star in the sky. It was brighter than all of the other stars above. This star shined in the sky over where baby Jesus slept in the manger. The magi followed this star, and it led them to baby Jesus. When they found him, they bowed down, and worshipped baby Jesus, presenting him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Imagine seeing a really bright star in the sky. It is brighter than all other stars. Would you follow that star? How do you think the Magi felt following the star? How did the magi react when they found baby Jesus? Would you have reacted that way too?
We are celebrating His birth as it is told to us in the bible. I hope this adds to your tradition of reading the nativity devotional of the true meaning of Christmas or that it becomes a new tradition for you and your family. Just remember to engage your children, encourage them to think about the Christmas story and feel the true meaning of Jesus’s birth.
