. . . he has put eternity into man's heart, . . . (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Every man and woman who ever lived intuitively longs for his or her eternal home. You were made for Eden.

We are told that, ironically, the saddest time of the year is Christmas. Why is it that in the presence of such a commercial party, there is sadness? There are many reasons, but deeply rooted in this phenomenon is this longing for home. Not just the home of the “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” song, but also a ticket back to the place where you instinctively were made to be.

Early in our marriage, I was traveling on business. It was Christmas time, and my business obligations took me a long way from home. A severe winter storm in the Midwest threw the airline schedule into havoc, and I was caught it in. One of thousands of travelers on the eve of Christmas Eve, I found myself with an airline traveler’s kit and a voucher for supper, sitting alone in a cheap hotel room, dreaming of home.

That is the sad situation of mankind apart from God, and that is why, at least in part, there is sadness at this time of year. We want to go home, but we cannot get there due to conditions that seem out of our control. The greatest tragedy of life is that so many who long for home never get there.

The First Advent of Jesus Christ fulfills the longing for Eden

Paul wrote to the Galatians and clarified Genesis 3:15 with one sentence about Christmas, the birth of Jesus:

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5).

The fulfillment of Genesis 3:l5 is the birth of Jesus Christ. Just as promised, He came, from woman to redeem those who are under the curse of the law. Remember, the first covenant is the covenant of works — keep the law and you will live in Eden; violate it and you are banished and face death. Those who are without Christ are under that law. But the covenant of grace says that God will send One who will crush the head of the serpent and redeem those under the law.

Craig Barnes, in his wonderful book Searching for Home, said it very well.

It is only those who know they are lost who are waiting and hoping for a Savior to lead them to the right place. Home.3

In the advent of Jesus, in His keeping of the law, in His substitutionary death on the cross, the curse was broken. The law was kept. The punishment was taken. And Jesus’ last words summed up the cosmic struggle and fulfilled the divine intent: