When I was a kid I received a lot of toys at Christmas, but I don’t remember many of them. What I do remember is how my dad would spend time on Christmas Eve playing with my toys with me. We’d put the Hot Wheels track together and get the train to run. Often we’d try to get the train and cars to go a little faster, and sometimes stuff got broken but that was just seen as how things go. The highlight of Christmas for me wasn’t what I received, but enjoying the gifts with my dad and spending time with him.

Some parents are so busy making money to buy things for their kids that they have no time to spend with their kids. Sadly some are so busy making a living they don’t take time to live. The reality is spending time playing with kids and their toys can do more good than buying more toys. The time my dad spent with me impacted my life more than anything he ever bought me. Time spent playing with kids may not seem productive, but it can actually produce good things in a life, like love, peace and joy, that are far more valuable than money and material things.

The Lord, more than anybody else, would be excused if He said He is too busy to spend time with us. He has the universe to run. But He never says He has too many other things to do and can’t listen to us and care for us. Jesus graciously came to this earth and spent time with us. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). The Lord took time to put on human flesh and make His home here among us.

The Lord could have done the work of salvation in quicker fashion. He could have entered the world as an adult and gone to the cross and paid for our sin soon after He arrived on earth. But instead He took the time to start at the beginning: as a baby in Mary’s womb. He took the time to experience what it is like to be a human child and teenager. He took the time to face all the temptations and trials we face.

Jesus took time to teach. He took time to eat with tax collectors and sinners. He took time to touch lepers. He took time to talk with women with bad reputations and listen to the cries of beggars. He took time to bless children.

Jesus has time for you today: time to listen, time to teach you through His Word, time to comfort and encourage you, time to go through the ups and downs of life with you. His time is valuable but He makes clear He considers us to be of such value He is willing to give up time and even give His life on the cross for us.

The world is often too busy. We get too busy to encourage one another, too busy to enjoy the blessings of God. But we give thanks that Jesus is never too busy. He is never short on time. He is never rushed. He continues today to have plenty of time for you.