Daily Devotional: December 13th, 2019

‘Tis the Season

We’re 12 days away from Christmas and I’m sure that the full swing of the hustle and bustle has started. Between the Christmas parties, gift buying, present wrapping, holiday baking, and family visiting have you taken the time to stop and truly focus on the reason for this season?

We all know that the true focus that we should have during the season is the birth of Jesus Christ, but is His birth the actual reason? How about this perspective, is the real reason for the season the celebration of the greatest gift ever given to us through the Son of God?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

That reason is why Christmas is filled with the giving of gifts, why we seek to emulate what we were inherently given. We also miss the perspective of why we were given this gift from God.

God gave us Jesus because we were in need. We were the poor, the needy, the helpless. We always forget during Christmas that Christ was given to us because we were in the greatest time of need. Yes Christ is the reason for the season, but not just because of his arrival, but because of the selfless act of giving by God.

God gave Jesus Christ to the world. Men’s sins can be forgiven through the blood of Christ when they put their trust in Him. God gave His Son Jesus Christ to show how right He is. Before this, God did not look on the sins that were done. But now God proves that He is right in saving men from sin. He shows that He is the One Who has no sin. God makes anyone right with Himself who puts his trust in Jesus.

Romans 3:25-26

Reflection:

Think about the gifts you give during this season, are they being given to receive praise or for self glory? Try and make your focus more on providing gifts that are more meaningful, that provide a solution for an actual need for someone, and are done in a selfless nature, that is what this season is all about.

Prayer:

Dear Lord. Thank you for the gifts that you have given me throughout my time on earth. I know without you none of what I have or will have would be possible. Thank you for providing us the greatest gift that I will ever receive by allowing your Son to be born to the virgin Mary, walk this earth teaching us the ways of love and salvation, and sacrificing Himself to provide forgiveness for the world’s sins. Let me spend this season with a change in my heart focused on providing those in my life, both close and not, with meaningful, needed, selfless gifts. I know that I am part of the body of Christ and that I should allow myself to give fully to the world. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray, Amen.