Read:
Luke 1:30–34
30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Ponder:
The story of the birth of Christ has, from the very beginning, been a story of a faithful, steadfast love. True, steadfast love gives. And giving costs the giver. The more costly the gift, the greater the sacrifice. And to give your Son, well, any parent knows that is the ultimate sacrifice.
The virgin birth is the real-world example of this. It is grounded in the love of God. Jesus was born of a virgin so He could die for our sins. Scripture emphasizes the intensity of God’s love for us (see Hosea 11). The words in John 3:16 stress the greatness of this gift, highlighting Jesus was, “his only Son” (emphasis mine). The Father gave his best. The Father gives His unique and beloved Son. His only Son.
Today, in the midst of the presents and the food and the family and friends, don’t forget to spend some time alone with God. Thank Him for Jesus. He is a good, good Father. Respond: Listen to “God Is So Good (You Are Worthy)” by Pat Barrett.
