Mindy Lee Hopman

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6

Joseph and Mary needed a place to lay their weary heads. Caesar Augustus ordered a census, so they traveled for miles by foot to get home to Bethlehem. Joseph took Mary, his betrothed, back to the house of his lineage to be included in the count. 

Joseph’s lineage traced back to the house of David, from the house of Jesse, who descended from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and God’s chosen people from the beginning of time. Joseph took Mary to the city of Bethlehem where unblemished lambs were born and raised for temple sacrifices.

Once Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, God placed them in the perfect space to birth the perfect baby who would be wrapped in the love of God. And when the baby was born, Mary wrapped her baby in cloths, just as the shepherds must have wrapped their perfect, unblemished, spotless lambs.

Many followed the star to celebrate the birth of the Savior and worship the baby. It was the moment they had anticipated since the beginning of time! 

As we place the star on the Christmas tree, the sound of Christmas carols mixed with the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls means it must be the morning we have anticipated. It’s Christmas! There is a birthday in the house and it’s time to celebrate! Break out the streamers, the balloons, and the cake! Bring out the gifts!

The angels proclaim Jesus Christ is born! Glory to God! Peace on Earth!

The King of kings and Prince of Peace has arrived as a sweet baby and today the world takes time to pause, remember, and reflect upon the present of His earthly presence.

Today’s Scripture:

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” ~Matthew 1:21 

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” ~Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭23, NLT

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. ~Luke 2:6-7, NLT

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. ~John 1:14, NLT

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” 

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. ~Luke 2: 8-20, NLT

Today’s Snapshot: The Perfect Baby

Jesus didn’t come to our world as a mighty warrior but as the Prince of Peace. He wasn’t born in a regal palace, yet He was considered the King of kings. The Jewish people were looking for someone to save them physically, but Jesus came to reconcile us to God and save us Spiritually. The Son of God descended from heaven to fill the gap which had been present in mankind since Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden.

Unblemished lambs were born in Bethlehem to be used for sacrifice in the temple. When the lambs were born, they were wrapped quickly in swaddling cloths to protect them from blemish. 

Jesus came because of love.

And Jesus loved when He came.

Jesus grew up in Nazareth under the tender care of Mary and Joseph. He came to show us how to live as the Father intended—with grace, peace, and mercy. 

Then, Jesus became the final sacrifice to atone for each of our sins, offer forgiveness, and offer eternal life to those who choose to believe.

God gave us the perfect gift in His Son.

The present is His presence {Emmanuel} God with us until the very end.

Today we celebrate His birth and we look forward to His return!

Family Discussion:

• This Christmas, will you allow Him to open your heart,
  so that He may reveal His presence to you? 

The promise is for all of us.
When you accept the gift of His Son, His PRESENCE fills you, and you are grafted into the faith family tree.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We praise You for the present of Your presence which is greater than any gift under the tree. Your Son is the greatest gift. May You open the eyes of our hearts, so that our “snapshots” may be a part of Your “big picture.” We know there is much more to come, because what we can see is only a glimpse of Your glory. Jesus is the Light of the world who came to our world because of the vast darkness. Today we are basking in Your Light. And the fullness of the presence of Christ in us {Emmanuel} is radiating from within.

Merry Christmas!

In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, Amen

This devotional is adapted from Faith Roots: An Advent Family Devotional available for purchase on Amazon.