Christmas is a Picture of Grace
When you think about Christmas, do you think of grace?
Verse of the Day
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Today’s Devotional
The definition of condemn is “to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil, usually after weighing evidence; to pronounce guilty”. That is actually what we deserve. In contrast to God’s perfection, I absolutely fit into the categories of reprehensible, wrong, evil and guilty.
But Jesus did not come to the earth to show us everything we have done wrong. That’s a false picture of who God is. He is not an angry ruler in the sky waiting to smite us for every wrong deed or thought. If that was His role, then He would be very busy smiting.
I think it is easy for us to think of God as a condemning God because we are very quick to condemn others. I believe we are also very quick to condemn ourselves. Often I judge myself by looking at others and comparing their outsides (the parts of those people they allow me to see) to my insides.
But that’s the great thing about Jesus. He can see my insides, and yet He still chooses me every day. You too. Romans 5:8 says “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God sent Jesus here to earth to save you. And me. That journey of salvation began on earth at the first Christmas.
The more I think about Christmas, the more I realize how truly amazing Jesus is. We deserve condemnation, but that’s not what He gives us. He offers freedom, life, and salvation. Just because He loves us. Because we are His and He wants to rescue us from what this world has to offer. He wants to untangle us from the bondage we have gotten tangled in. Christmas is a picture of grace.
I heard in a sermon that those of us who are quick to judge and condemn others do so because we have not fully accepted and received the grace that Jesus offers. Maybe this year we need to choose to focus on how much Jesus has saved us from. Maybe we need to look at a Christmas tree and be reminded of grace. Perhaps if we will fill ourselves up with the truth and beauty of the grace and salvation of Jesus, then it will freely flow out of us onto the people we encounter.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How can you change your perspective of the Christmas season to include God’s grace?
How can you live out your salvation today?
How can you express gratitude for the grace Jesus offers you?
How can you behave in the world with a joy that others can see and feel and then want for themselves?
How can you intentionally turn away from judging and condemning others today, even if only in your mind?