The Bible tells us that “God is Spirit” and “God is love” (John 4:24; 1 John 4:8). He is the great Creator who created you and me, this beautiful world, and the entire universe. Then, to show us His love and to help us understand Him better, God sent us His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth in the form of a man.
Although He was predestined to be the King of kings, Jesus was not born in a palace. Instead, He was born on the dirty floor of a barn and laid to sleep in the animals’ feed trough (Luke 2:7). His arrival received no official recognition from the rich and powerful of His day. Instead, He was visited by a few poor shepherds who had heard the news from a band of angels. “There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:8–14).
When Jesus began His life’s work at the age of 30, He not only preached His message, but He lived it among the common people, as one of them. He ministered to their spiritual needs, but also spent a great deal of time tending to their physical needs, healing them when they were sick and feeding them when they were hungry. He loved without partiality, even at the cost of His reputation. He befriended drunks, prostitutes, and sinners, the outcasts and downtrodden, and proved that no one was beyond the reach of God’s love and forgiveness.
In Jesus, God shared His love with the whole world. But He also loves each of us individually. God loves you so much that He gave the most cherished thing He had, His only Son, so you could have everlasting life (John 3:16).
God feels our pain. He understands our heartaches and sympathizes with our losses. He longs to draw us close, to soothe, to heal, to comfort, to reassure. He loved us so much that He sent His Son in human form, to live among us; to experience our hardships, to be His hands, to reveal His heart, and to put us in direct, personal contact with His love and power. God didn’t send Jesus to remove all of our problems but to equip us to get through them and become better for them.
And that is why we have reason to hope this Christmas.
Jesus wants to enter into a personal relationship with you and become a very real part of your life both here and now and forever in eternity. He stands at your heart’s door, waiting for you to open the door and invite Him into your life. (See Revelation 3:20.)
You can do so by sincerely praying this prayer:
Jesus, please forgive me for all my sins. I believe that You died for me. I open the door to my heart and I invite You into my life. Please fill me with Your love and Holy Spirit, help me get to know You, and guide me in the way of truth. Amen.
