That's What Christmas is All About! // A Devotion

I love Christmas! Who doesn’t, right? Well, maybe there are a few scrooges out there, but pretty much everyone you meet is ecstatic over this blessed Holyday! (Yes, I purposely didn’t use the word holiday 😉) There’s all the music, décor, the general happy atmosphere, the foods, the cozy sweaters…ahh…

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7

Christmas is very pleasing to the five senses, ha-ha! But in all the hustle and bustle, good though they may be, have you taken the time to remember exactly why we have Christmas in the first place? Okay, I know you haven’t forgotten that Jesus was born, but has the significance become old for you or sorta matter-of-fact? Let’s take a moment to reflect on what Jesus actually did by coming to be born to die…

1. He left His Glory. Let that sink in. Jesus had everything. As the Son of God, the world was at His fingertips. He had angels praising Him all day long for His Love and Mercy. He had daily, face to face contact with God the Father. He had it all. And He gave that up for you. He gave up the throne to be born to a poor carpenter and his wife, in a smelly, unsanitary stable. He gave up the companionship of God and the angels to be with sinful man. He gave up respect to be spit on and crucified.
2. He knew God would turn His face away from Him. When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, when He bore the sins of the whole world, God turned His face away from Jesus. He is perfect and cannot look on iniquity. Many people are confused about this, but in the Garden when Jesus asked God to remove the cup from Him, He wasn’t asking God to keep Him from death. He was asking God not to turn His face away from Him. Picture perfect Father-Son relationship right there. But even so, He said, “Not my will but Thine be done.” He was willing to suffer the grief and agony of His Father’s rejection and judgment on sin for you. He loved you that much. Let that sink in. You probably don’t feel worthy of that kind of love. You probably think you don’t deserve it. And you are absolutely right. You don’t deserve it. None of us do. We are so unworthy of Christ’s perfect Love. But He doesn’t care about our worthiness. He just cares about you. He. Loves. You. And Jesus was willing to go through anything and everything to make sure that you could go to Heaven when you die if you will only ask Him to save you.
3. He Showed that Your station in Life is Unimportant. Jesus, no doubt, was pleased with the ones God decided to bless with His birth. A Virgin, a lowly carpenter, a group of smelly, uncivilized shepherds, wisemen, an aged prophetess and prophet who had waited their whole lives to see Him. The poor and the wealthy. The simple and the Wise. The well to do and the people others looked down upon. He didn’t care. He loved them just as they were.
4. He opened Himself up for Ridicule. Up to this point, Jesus had never been mocked by man. He knew coming to earth most that would not believe the miraculous story of His birth. Most would deny the fact that He was Messiah, God with Us, the Son of the Living God. They would not think twice about asking for His execution, much less spitting in His face. Spitting in the face of God Almighty! But He endured it all for you.
5. He Bridged the Gap Between God and Man. By coming to live in the flesh, to die for us, Jesus allowed us to have fellowship with God and come to live in Heaven with Him when we die. He made it possible if we will only reach out and accept the gift.

We take so much for granted in our lives; our friends, family, the background of our favorite Holidays. Don’t let that be you. Take time this month to thank God for sending His Son. Thank Him for allowing Himself to be humbled to Save you. If you have never received Christ as your Savior, why not do it today? Don’t put Him off any longer. Accept what He did for you.