The time had come for Jesus to be born. After all those years of waiting the Son of God had finally come!

Luke 2:1-7 says: “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,
who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

It’s somewhat shocking that the Son of God was born in a manger. Jesus deserved far more than that, but He loves us so much that He was willing to be born in a manger. Jesus’ life is full of sacrifice and humility. God was willing to step down from the highest of high, to the lowest of lows, for us. As we reflect on the love and humility of Jesus this Christmas, let’s take time to show His love to others. It could be something as simple as taking some time from something that you wanted to do, and spending that time helping someone who needs it. Be sure to spread the love of Jesus this Christmas.

When something good happens to you do you remember to thank God for it? How about when something confusing happens, do you still praise God through those times? Mary had just been blessed greatly with the news that she was going to be Jesus’ mother. But that good news was also quite surprising. Despite the fact that she was confused by this news, she still praised God.

Luke 1:46-55 says:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in the chaos and forget to praise God. Mary’s song is a great example of how to praise God even when it may seem hard. Don’t forget to praise Him for the wonderful gift that he so generously gave us. Remember to praise God for who He is this Christmas season.

Sometimes waiting for God to fulfill His promises can be hard. It’s not always easy to believe something will happen when you’ve been waiting a long time for it. The good news is, God always keeps His promises. It may seem like it’s taking forever, but only God really knows how long forever is, and He is faithful.

Luke 1:26 – 38 says: “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.””

It may have seemed like God had forgotten His promise, but God never forgets. His timing is perfect, and only He can see the future. God knows everything, and nothing surprises Him. Trust that God has everything under control. He knows what’s best for you, and He loves you more than you could ever imagine.