The Main Character

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I know that Your birthday is what all of this is about. I know that You came to save me from my own sins. Please help me to remember that every day and to honor You for the incredible God that You are. Join me here today through the power of the Holy Spirit You left me and fill up my time with Your presence and Your love. In Your precious name I pray. Amen.

Read: Luke 2:1-20
http://www.esvbible.org/Luke 2:1-20


Thoughts: As you read through the Christmas story, there is one Person who gets little mention – Jesus Himself. When it actually comes time for the birth, it is a very simple line in the text with no fanfare. One moment we are a people waiting for a Savior and the next moment He is here. The story of His birth actually revolves around the people who are already here on earth; Mary, Joseph, Zachariah, Elizabeth, the shepherds, Herod, the wise men, and even the angels. We are the reason that God went to this extraordinary effort. We were in need of a Savior and God worked in miraculous ways to bring Him to us.

When the angels came to the shepherds, they sang the praises of an almighty God who was working out His plan of victory for us. While God is always worthy of praise, the angels wanted to make sure that the recipients of this wonderful gift knew that it was time to open up the present! The praises went out in such a way as to let the people know that the time had come. God was here with us now. This was big news.

In spite of all the hype, the Christmas story is about the coming together of God and His children. No presents, no tree, no candles, no dinner, no carols, can surpass the uniting of God and those that He loves. As Jesus comes to us the fruition of thousands of years of waiting has finally come and God is pleased. Despite all the characters in the story, this is ultimately about us and God. We were far from Him in our sin and He did what was necessary to bring us back to Himself. This is a story about God’s work and our joy. May this Christmas be a time of wonder for you. Even in the repetition of a story that is well worn and   well-loved may you find peace, beauty, and the promise of your salvation.

“Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth!”

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, it is amazing what You went through for me. To humble yourself and become a Child so that I could live with You forever is quite a gift. And to know that You were going to die for me as well, completing the work of my salvation is almost more than I can understand. But I believe that You did it all and You did it because of Your great love. Please help me live my life as a worthy offering for the gifts that You have given. In Your name I pray. Amen.

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