We hope you have been enjoying this year’s The Gifts of Christmas. As you may know, my wife, Janet writes the Advent devotional guide each year. She also blogs twice weekly at www.janetdenison.com.
Instead of the typical Cultural Commentary, we would like to share Christmas devotionals to help prepare you to celebrate the birth of our King, who became one of us so that we might be one with him. Our ministry wishes you a blessed Christmas season, filled with his joy and peace.
Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. -Luke 2:38
Thousands of candles will be lit today. Thousands of sermons will be preached. In every Christmas Eve service across the world, there will be people in the crowd who are there because they are family or friends of Christians. In every service, there will be people who are not yet part of God’s family. They don’t understand that the child the preacher is talking about is their hope of redemp-tion. Most don’t realize their need of redemption. Jesus was born in the manger so that one day, he could die on a cross. Christmas is about redemption.
Anna, an elderly prophetess, spoke to Mary and Joseph after Simeon did. She was an 84-year-old widow who never left the temple. When Anna approached the Holy Family, she gave thanks to God and told all who were looking that the baby in Mary’s arms was their redemption. She recognized the Messiah, too.
As you sit in a Christmas Eve service today, look past your friends and family, or within your friends and family, and find the face that didn’t come to church because of Jesus. If that face is at your dinner table, or you just wish was at your table, pray that this Christmas Eve will be about their redemption. All of us know someone to pray for today. Make your prayers a birthday gift to Jesus. There is nothing the Lord wants more today than to redeem souls.
Pray and walk in the Holy Spirit’s leadership and power. God will honor and bless your prayers. There isn’t a more important gift to lay at the feet of Jesus than those Christmas prayers.
{jcomments off}
Search
