You Have Found Favor With God

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.” (Luke 1:30–33)

Luke 1:30–33 proclaims the hope of Christmas by announcing the birth of Jesus, the Son of the Most High, through whom God fulfills His promises and establishes an eternal kingdom.

Merry Christmas and happy birthday to Jesus, our Lord!

As we rejoice in Christmas, a time when many gather with family and reflect on the people they love, this is a gentle encouragement to also reflect on the birth of Jesus.

The birth of Jesus marks a monumental and fulfilling moment in history. It is the moment that fulfills the Old Testament promises and stands at the very foundation of the Christian faith. Our faith is built upon Jesus because He fulfills what God the Father promised: salvation by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9).

It is through belief in Jesus that we are saved and granted eternal life (John 3:16). It is because of the goodness and love of God that He gave His only Son so that we may be saved for eternity.

When Jesus was born, He lived as a perfect example for us to follow. He taught us how to live in right relationship with God while knowing that in our fallen world, He would ultimately become the sacrifice. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus bore the judgment we deserved so that we may choose eternity with God.

The Greatest Gift

We celebrate the birth of Jesus because of who He is and what He gives us.

It is only fitting that on this day, we receive both material and spiritual blessings. This reflects how God provides for us each day and reminds us of His generosity toward us. He provides people and family, a home, food to eat, and money to meet our needs. He also provides relationship and love, the comfort and safety of home, the nourishment and satisfaction food brings, and the abundance that comes from living beyond mere survival.

Beyond all of this, God provides the greatest gift of all: salvation through Jesus Christ. Through salvation, spiritual blessings flow abundantly, including the gift of the Holy Spirit, peace, and love (Galatians 5:22-23).

Because we are physical beings, it can be easy to focus only on what we can see and touch, the physical gifts and presents before us. May we lift our eyes and remember that God is always working in the unseen and within the Spirit.

The Ultimate Hope

As Christmas falls just before the new year, reflection, rebirth, and fresh intention often come naturally. Many of us set goals or resolutions and begin to look ahead with excitement.

We often focus on what comes next, yet the most important ‘what comes next’ is what happens for eternity.

Jesus answers that question for us. Because His birth fulfilled God’s promises, we can rest in the assurance that through belief in Jesus, we are granted eternal life in heaven.

Heaven is a place where God’s presence is fully known and where His character of love, grace, light, hope, and peace abounds. When we think about what we are working toward or looking forward to, the ultimate hope is eternity with God.

Eternity in Mind

During this season of renewal, how can we move closer to God and live with eternity in mind?

For me, it begins with loving people better.

Some of my intentions for the new year include reading the Bible in a year, saying thank you daily to both God and the people in my life, nourishing the body God gave me so I have energy to love well and be present, and doing a social media fast for the first ten days of each month.

These goals are rooted in living more closely aligned with how God designed us, building His Kingdom, and loving others more deeply.

When we look at the Ten Commandments given in Exodus 20, Jesus explains that they ultimately come down to loving God and loving our neighbor (Matthew 22:37–40). When we reflect on who God is at His core, we are reminded that God is love (1 John 4:8).

It all comes back to love.

To love better, to love more, and to do so with truth, through Jesus, and by keeping God’s Word close to the heart.

With Love This Christmas

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas 🤍

XOXO

The Scriptures

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:37–40

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:8

You are welcome to leave a comment, subscribe to my newsletter, or sign up for a free discovery call.