MONDAY December 25, 2023
Christmas Day
And she [Mary] brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger….
Luke 2:7
Today is Christmas Day! The message of Christ brings to humanity love, hope, peace and joy. Consider, yet again, the beautiful story of Christmas: After finding a safe and warm place to stay, Mary went into labor. She gave birth to her firstborn Son.
Jesus did not begin His human life with the earthly comforts of a crib and cozy, newborn blankets. His mother tenderly wrapped Him snuggly in swaddling cloths to keep Him warm and secure. Imagine Joseph and Mary gathering hay and placing Jesus in a manger––a trough used to feed animals. Mary looked on the face of her Savior, the world’s Savior.
Again, Jesus was not born in a palace––in a royal court––but a simple stable, or a shepherd’s cave. In that secluded place, tucked away in privacy from others, Mary and Joseph may have reflected on the angel’s words to them: “…therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke1:35). “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). They knew without a shadow of a doubt that the Son of God had been born into the world.
Sometime during the day, Fathers, read the Christmas story to your family. May it renew their hope and give them understanding of how Jesus made salvation available to them. A majestic King was born this day. This truth can make such a difference to our daily lives.
For, first, the birth of Christ was the incarnation of God: it was God taking upon himself human [form]—a mystery, a wondrous mystery, to be believed in rather than to be defined.
~C. H. Spurgeon~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
