What God Wants for Christmas – A Personal Reflection

I just heard this song for the first time on the radio this morning and it really got me to think……..What God Wants for Christmas by Darius Rucker.

As I listened to Darius Rucker’s song “What God Wants for Christmas,” I found myself pausing in the middle of the holiday rush. The lyrics remind me that Christmas isn’t about the gifts under the tree or the lights strung across the house—it’s about something far deeper. Rucker sings of wondering what God Himself might want for Christmas, and that question struck me right in the heart.

When I think about it, the answer is already written in Scripture. God doesn’t desire the material things we so often chase. Instead, He longs for our hearts, our faith, and our love.

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21, KJV)

This verse reminds me that the true treasure of Christmas isn’t wrapped in shiny paper—it’s found in giving God our devotion. Rucker’s song imagines peace on Earth and full churches as part of God’s “wishlist.” That aligns perfectly with the angels’ proclamation at Christ’s birth:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14, KJV)

Peace and goodwill—those are gifts we can actually give. They don’t cost a dime, but they require humility, forgiveness, and love. And isn’t that what Christ came to teach us?

The song also asks, “What do you give someone who gave His only Son?” That line echoes one of the most famous verses in the Bible:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, KJV)

What God wants for Christmas is simple yet profound: our belief in Him, our trust in His Son, and our willingness to live out that faith in love toward others. No store can sell it, no credit card can buy it. It’s a gift only we can give.

So this Christmas, as I hum along to Darius Rucker’s heartfelt song, I’m reminded to step back from the chaos of shopping lists and holiday parties. I want to give God what He truly desires—my heart, my faith, and my love lived out in action. That’s the kind of gift that lasts far beyond December 25th.

What God Wants for Christmas by Darius Rucker

old man playin’ santa clause
blew into town with old jack frost
now he’s handing out candy canes and smiles for free
people scurry with their list
rushing around to buy those gifts that will
end up wrapped up underneath that tree
i’m sitting at this red light looking at a manger scene
watching snowflakes kiss that baby
and it makes me think
i wonder what God wants for christmas
something that you can’t find in a store
maybe peace on earth
no more empy seats in church
might be what’s on his wish list
i wonder what God wants for christmas

what do you give someone
who gave his only son
what if we believed in him like he believes in us
i wonder what God wants for christmas
what might put a smile on his face
every bible with no dust
the devil giving up
would be what’s on his wish list
yeahhh…
i wonder what God wants for christmas
what kind of gift from you and me
more sister
more brother
more love in one another
yeah, i wonder
i wonder what God wants
by know we oughta know
what God wants
for christmas

Merry Christmas and God Bless!